Altes Schloss (Scheiden)
Germany · Europe
About
The Altes Schloss, or Old Castle in English, is the ruin of a high medieval hilltop castle near Scheiden, a district of the municipality of Losheim am See in the Merzig-Wadern district in Saarland, Germany. The remains of the walls of the historically untraceable castle complex are located on a small hill, approximately half a kilometer east of the village center of Scheiden. A clearly distinguishable upper castle, situated at the edge of a high plateau and protected by a ditch, can be seen from a larger lower castle, situated about 10 meters lower on a projecting hillside terrace. The upper castle is roughly rectangular and had a stronger shield wall facing the vulnerable side. In the lower castle, at the southernmost point, are the remains of a slightly elevated rectangular building, as well as traces of a curtain wall with a gate on the eastern side. There is no documentary evidence for the castle site (the name "Old Castle" is post-medieval). However, based on the layout and remaining walls, it can be dated to the 12th or 13th century.
Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.