Zindelstein Castle (Ruin)

The Zindelstein ruin is a castle ruin between Furtwangen and Wolterdingen, a district of the city of Donaueschingen in the Schwarzwald-Baar district in Baden-Württemberg. It is located on a rock spur on the left bank of the Breg river.

The hilltop castle was probably built as early as the 12th century by the Counts of Zähringen and was mentioned in a document in 1225. After the death of Duke Berthold V of Zähringen, the last Zähringer, the property passed as inheritance to the Counts of Urach, who then called themselves Counts of Freiburg. In the 13th century, the castle was owned by the House of Fürstenberg and in the 14th century by Count Hugo of Fürstenberg. After the Fürstenbergs built Neu-Fürstenberg Castle further west near Hammereisenbach, Zindelstein Castle lost its importance and was increasingly mentioned as a castle site. In 1525, the castle was destroyed in the German Peasants' War by the "Klettgau Haufen" under Hans Müller and later used as a quarry.

Ministerials of the Zähringer lived in the castle at times. Later, Countess Adelheid, the widow of Count Egino V, who afterwards became a nun in the Günterstal monastery south of Freiburg im Breisgau, also lived there. Furthermore, Count Gottfried of Freiburg-Fürstenberg, a son of Egino V, who later became a canon of Constance, also lived at Zindelstein.

Of the former castle complex, wall remains and the stump of the keep are still preserved.