Heidenschuh Castle

The Heidenschuh is a hilltop castle (ring wall system) on the Treitelsberg near Klingenmünster in Rhineland-Palatinate. It is a characteristic example of a barrier for a steep-sided mountain spur (section fortification). It was built for times of emergency and served as a refuge castle in case of impending danger for the inhabitants of Klingenmünster Monastery and the population of the surrounding villages.

An exact age determination of the complex has not yet been possible, as small finds such as weapons, tools, jewelry, and vessels are missing. The refuge castle probably originated in the early Middle Ages; according to its form and construction, it should belong to the Carolingian-Ottonian period (8th - 9th century). There are no old documents about the fortification. The original name of the complex was lost. The current name only formed in the 18th century when the complex was attributed to the pagans.

The refuge castle is located on a mountain spur, whose longitudinal axis runs in a southwest-northeast direction. The northeastern tip forms a steep rock. As a completion of the fortification, there are two section walls. On the north side, the terrain drops steeply. The western side is also protected by two section walls. The outer wall leans against a rock in the north. The wall could originally have been four to five meters thick. In front of the outer wall runs a six-meter-wide ditch, which extends 18 meters beyond the wall to the north and leads down the steep slope. The inner section wall is better preserved. The wall is 60 meters long and 3.5 meters wide. The outer and inner walls consist of unprocessed stones, whose gaps are filled with rubble. The gate is located 26 meters from the northern end. It is flanked by weaker, projecting wall sections.