Schülzburg Castle (Ruin)

The Schülzburg ruin is the ruin of a hilltop castle southeast of the village of Anhausen, a district of the city of Hayingen in the Reutlingen district.

Clear evidence that a castle built by the Counts of Warstein already existed in the mid-12th century is still lacking. In 1329, the knight Ernst Walter von Stadion received the area in exchange from the Cistercian monastery of Salem. Shortly thereafter, he had the present castle built.

In 1362, Eitel von Stadion enfeoffed the castle to Duke Rudolf III of Austria (1358–1365). Subsequently, the castle seems to have come as a fief to the Lords of Freyberg, because in 1374 the Lords of Freyberg renounced the castle in favor of Counts Eberhard II and Ulrich IV of Württemberg.

In 1409, the castle was pledged by Eberhard III of Württemberg to Count Konrad von Kirchberg. In 1452, the pledge, which was referred to as a Württemberg fief from 1466, passed to the Lords of Speth. Hans Reinhard II von Speth had the "new" castle built in front of the medieval castle in 1605.

On February 14, 1884, the entire complex was destroyed by fire. Reconstruction was not carried out. Extensive securing work was carried out between 1984 and 1987.

Extensive ruins of the medieval hilltop castle, especially the palas, are still present today. Also present are the ruins of the Renaissance castle built to the east in front of the medieval castle.