Schauenberg

Castle Hill, looking west

The ruin Schauenbergstrasse lies on the homonymous hill above Turbenthal in Canton Zurich.

History

1976-1979 led the Kantonsarchäologie Zurich on the Schauenbergstrasse by excavations. The studies were completed with the preservation of the ruins of the medieval castle and the modern Hochwacht. Because of the archaeological investigations, it is possible to infer a multi-phase settlement of looking mountain.

The first traces

During the Bronze or Iron Age ( 2200-15 BC), a rampart and ditch system with palisades moved to the hilltop. An assignment in the Roman period ( 15 BC -400 AD) is possible as a Roman key was found in the field of medieval castle.

The first medieval wooden castle

At about 1200 an engineered wood structure was built on the west side of the mountain looking over a sunken rock in the basement. On the other side of the time not yet divided hilltop they found traces of simple wooden structures. The first medieval castle, a simple noble residence was protected by a bank and ditch.

Residential tower

Around 1250 the wooden castle was transformed into a massive, massive brick residential tower. Here, a moat was dug into the rock across the hilltop. The trench was on the west side surmounted by a wall, which was possibly a kennel system. The year 1260 falls the first written mention of the castle, under the name castro Schowenberc. In written sources, however, the name of Rudolf Schauenbergstrasse occurs already in 1242. The monastery of St. Gallen handed 1302, the seigniory of the castle Schauenbergstrasse the service of man Walter fort. Thirty years later, is mentioned as subsequent Burgherr the Beringer of Hohenlandenberg, but was accused in various chronicles of the robbery and counterfeiting.

It remains to be clarified whether this castle is identical to the castle of Henry of Schaubergwerk, which occurs in a document as Henry de Stoife, Stoitfe or Stouf after 1158 appearance.

The end

As Beringer of Hohenlandenberg 1344 committed an offense against the public peace, destroyed the Austrian officers together with citizens of Winterthur and Zurich the castle. And there was found only a small number of ceramic tableware and no mobile objects, it is believed that the castle was already left their destruction.

Hochwacht

After 1622, the Zurich government was forced to build a Hochwacht system because of the risk situation by the Thirty Years' War and the conflict between Catholic and Protestant places. The signals sent by the Schauenbergstrasse were of the high Wachten Schnabel ( Albis chain at Langnau am Albis ), Pfannenstiel, Tämbrig (above Hermatswil ) Üetliberg, warehouses, Zurich mountain, Mörsburg Kyburg, Stammheimer mountain and even Hohenklingenstrasse be seen.