Höwenegg

Quarry and lake, where once stood the main castle

The Höwenegg is a volcanic complex two miles south of Immendingen in the district of Tuttlingen. The former 812 m, 798 m high basalt cone today was once home to two castles and one geologically to the Hegau mountains. He is one of the northernmost Hegau volcanoes.

Mountain

On Höwenegg was, as well as on Hohenstoffeln, in earlier times basalt mined for road construction. Thus the entire southern flank of the mountain is removed. Until 1979, the hard basalt was mined and thus creating a 85-meter deep crater. After closure of the quarry, a fed by rain and groundwater lake was formed. In the quarry area, the volcanic genesis can be seen also are important tertiary fossil fields available. In the 1930s, the construction of a drainage tunnel for the quarry major fossil finds have been made. Between 1950 and 1963 researchers (including Max Pfannenstiel ), carried out for 13 more weeks of excavation campaigns at Höwenegg. Discovered they have doing the completely preserved skeleton of the three-toed Hipparion Urpferds. The quarry is a mineral locality and the type locality of the rare mineral Amicit.

Castles

On the Höwenegg the castle once stood Hewenegg (also known as Junghewen, Höwenegg or main castle called ) and to the north of it called on a 798 m high summit Besides their outer bailey, also Postal or Little Castle. The main castle was built around 1100, the first known record comes from the year from 1291. Owners were the lords of Hewen and from 1404, the Earl of Lupfen - Stühlingen. 1639 main castle was destroyed and used in the subsequent period as a quarry. Later the castle was the site of basalt mining for victims, their former position was located at the point at which today is the lake.

The outer bailey was built in 1100, the first known record comes from the year from 1291. Early as the 15th century the castle was abandoned and fell into disrepair. Today only ruins remain, since the ruin in the early 20th century was used as a quarry.

Nature reserve

1983, the mountain, along with the remains of the castle bailey and the quarry was put under protection.