Hilsenstein ruins
| Hilsenstein ruins | ||
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 Hilsenstein ruins |
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| Alternative name (s): | Hilzenstein, Hülzistein | |
| Creation time : | around 1250 | |
| Castle type : | Hilltop castle | |
| Conservation status: | ruin | |
| Place: | Dornach | |
| Geographical location | 47 ° 28 '6.8 " N , 7 ° 38' 7.6" E | |
| Height: | 615 m above sea level M. | |
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The Hilsenstein ruin , also called Hilzenstein or Hülzistein , is the ruin of a hilltop castle near Dornach in the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland .
location
This castle is one of the forgotten structures in the Basel region: Little known, although it is located between the Dorneck ruins and Angenstein Castle and is easy to reach.
The Hilsenstein ruin is about 2 km southeast of Dornach at 615 m above sea level. M. on a rock spur on the western slope of the Gempenplateau . It can be easily reached from Gempenstrasse (last hairpin bend before Gempen ) on a forest path.
investment
Only a few remains of the wall on the hard-to-reach rock head remain from the castle ruins. The ascent of the rock head had previously been made easier by a wooden ladder 'built wildly' by unknown people. However, this was constantly exposed to the weather and is now completely missing (Oct. 2016). You climb the rock head exclusively at your own risk! From the north-east (from the forest path) part of the masonry on its bearings following the edge of the rock can be seen from the outside (advantageously in winter when the trees are without leaves).
The small facility is built on several surfaces on the rock head. The uppermost surface carried the residential tower : This surface can be seen on the picture, on the right a remnant of the wall with window gaps, in the middle a rock rib that was used as part of the wall. Carved beam holes and door grooves are still recognizable.
On the area to the west of the residential tower - using natural rock chambers and crevices - there was probably an auxiliary building on the rock head.
The entrance can only be guessed at and was probably built from the south side (from the slope of the Gempen plateau) for purely practical reasons.
Around the rock head, where it was possible in the rather steep terrain, terraces that are still visible today were made, which were probably occupied by economic buildings.
history
Hilsenstein Castle is nowhere mentioned in a document. Nevertheless, due to the numerous finds that are kept in the local museum Schwarzbubenland in Dornach, a brief, intensive settlement in the 3rd quarter of the 13th century can be documented, but this ceased as early as 1300. Due to the unpredictable sources - neither Hilsenstein Castle nor such a local noble family can be traced - it can only be assumed that a branch of the Münch knightly family , who were also called 'Gempener' in the second half of the 13th century, the Owned this fortress.
literature
- Werner Meyer : Castles from A to Z - Burgenlexikon der Regio . Published by the Castle Friends of both Basels on the occasion of their 50th anniversary. Klingental printing company, Basel 1981, pp. 205–206.
