Germany · Partial ruin
Rötteln Castle
Rötteln Castle is a large medieval hill castle above the Lörrach suburb of Haagen in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Today it survives as an extensive ruin spread along a wooded spur; the site comprises a lower outer bailey of service buildings and an upper inner castle focused on a powerful keep and curtain walls.
First raised
1100
Its prime
1470
Today
Partial ruin
As it stood in 1470
The shape it held in its prime.
Long, irregular castle laid out along a wooded limestone spur, running roughly northwest–southwest for about 300 metres. Dominant is a tall rectangular stone keep on the eastern spur and a second square gate tower rising from the curtain; curtain walls with crenellations and flanking round towers enclose an outer bailey of closely set service buildings with steep tile roofs. Masonry is pale grey-brown sandstone; at its prime the roofs were intact and battlements continuous along the wallwalks.
Its story
The story of Rötteln Castle.
Rötteln Castle has probably existed since the beginning of the 11th century, and the era of the lords of Rötteln ran from 1102 to 1316. The first documented lord, Dietrich von Rötteln, was a bailiff, and his sons held high offices: Walter as Kapitular of Konstanz and Basel, Luithold as bishop of Basel, and Konrad as founder of the town of Schopfheim, important to the later formation of the Markgräflerland.
The Margraves of Hachberg-Sausenberg then became lords of the former domain of Rötteln. In 1444 the domain of Badenweiler passed from John, the last Count of Freiburg, to Rudolf IV von Hachberg-Sausenberg, who had risen to high dignity at the court of Duke Philip the Good of Burgundy — in 1454 the Duke himself was his guest at Rötteln Castle.
One of the most powerful fortifications in the south-west, Rötteln is today the third largest castle ruin in Baden, spread along a wooded spur 422 metres above sea level above the Lörrach suburb of Haagen. The lower outer bailey held service buildings, including the landschreiberei with its office and archive, while a three-gate installation guarded the way into the inner bailey of the upper castle and its powerful keep.
Step inside
13 places to explore in 1470.
The record describes 13 distinct spots at Rötteln Castle — including 4 interiors: landschreiberei office and archive room, giller tower interior (guardroom/prison cell), wine cellar beneath the manor house (barrel-vaulted) and more. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and walk through every one — more scenes means more photos, more angles and more rooms of the immersive experience.
Create History
Recreate Rötteln Castle with AI to explore it.
The artist rebuilds it as it stood in 1470 — a photoreal walk that belongs to you alone. Pay with coins, no subscription needed.
Recreate Castle to Explore →Whose castle
Clans who held Rötteln Castle.
The families that held Rötteln Castle for a decade or more across its history — follow a name to its clan.
Rötteln
The lords of Rötteln held the castle from 1102 to 1316.
Hachberg-Sausenberg
The Margraves of Hachberg-Sausenberg became lords of the former domain of Rötteln after 1316.
