Günzelburg Castle

The ruin of Günzelburg, also known as Greifenburg, Gryffenburg, and Denzelburg, is a castle ruin on a rock tower above the village of Weiler bei Seißen, a district of the city of Blaubeuren, in the Alb-Donau-Kreis in Baden-Württemberg.

The rock castle was built in the late 13th century by Grif von Berkach, presumably as a successor to a castle on the nearby Wachtfels. The Lords of Berkach were ministeriales of the Counts of Berg. Subsequent owners mentioned are the Lords of Weiler and the Lords of Westernach at the end of the 14th century, Ulrich von Westerstetten in 1460, and after 1460 the Blaubeuren Monastery. The name of the castle Denzelburg, probably Tünzelburg, mentioned in 1464, likely refers to a later owner of the castle.

Around 1477, the complex was dilapidated; it is said: "Also the wall ruins of Gintzelburg Castle, which protrudes over the house (= the Franciscan monastery) on the top of the rock, have damaged this house..."

Of the former castle complex, which had a hook-shaped shield wall, remnants of walls are still preserved. The core castle had a footprint of about 20 by 21 meters.