Vogelberg Castle (Ruin)

The ruin of Vogelberg Castle is located in the municipality of Waltensburg in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. The ruin lies on a narrow plateau above the road from Waltensburg to Andiast at the edge of the Val Mulin gorge. It is separated from the meadow by a shallow ditch. The castle can be reached from the valley station of the chairlift via a hiking trail in about half an hour.

The name Vogel(s)berg has appeared in documents since Ulrich Campell. The use of the genitive -s, which chroniclers Fortunat Sprecher in 1617 and Nicolin Sererhard in 1742 mention, argues against a connection with a bird. Presumably, the name can be traced back to an owner named Vogel. The Rhaeto-Romanic name Cafoghel can also be traced back to "Casa Vogel" (Vogel House).

Of the entire complex, only the remains of a rectangular tower have survived up to the height of two stories. It has an area of approximately 9 by 8 meters. The walls have a thickness of 1.5 to 1.8 meters. The walls consist of layered large river pebbles. Noteworthy are the cleanly crafted corner stones with chamfered edges, which stand out in color from the masonry.

The complex is heavily overgrown, and scattered debris indicates that the wall remains are slowly decaying.

Written documents about the origin and history of the castle are completely missing. Based on the construction method, an origin in the 13th century can be assumed. It is conceivable that Vogelberg Castle is the previously unlocated Stotznstein Castle: On November 28 or 29, 1323, a Jacobus de Stotznstein, in the service of the Church of Chur, was killed near the village of Rueun.