Helfenberg Castle (Ruin) (Uerschhausen)

The ruins of the medieval Helfenberg Castle are located in the Thurgau municipality of Uerschhausen and are first mentioned at the beginning of the 14th century in a St. Gallen document. As early as 1413, chronicles only refer to a "Burgstall" (castle site), which suggests that the complex was no longer or only partially habitable at that time.

The Lordship of Helfenberg, a fief of the Abbey of St. Gallen, was owned by the Knights of Schwandegg. In 1412, it came into the possession of Hans von Münchwil, along with other estates in Uerschhausen. Later, it came into the possession of the von Hohenlandenberg family. From the 16th century onwards, ownership changed rapidly.

The Helfenberg ruins are located at 449 m above sea level on a prominent hill, which rises 15 meters above the current shoreline of Lake Hüttwil. Due to the formerly marshy reed land at the foot of the hill, the castle was well defensible.