Hertenstein Castle

Hertenstein Castle is a ruined spur castle approximately 900 metres (2,950 ft) southwest of the village of Billingsbach, part of the municipality of Blaufelden, in the district of Schwäbisch Hall in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany.DescriptionThe castle is located on a steep hill above the confluence of two streams (the Billingsbach and the Rötelbach) at an elevation of 442 metres (1452 ft). The main approach of the castle to the northeast was protected by an 80 metre (262 ft) long artificial moat running from the steep slopes to the north towards the neighbouring hill in the south. The moat is between 5 and 6 metres (16 and 19 ft) deep. Out of the moat a mound rises which are the remains of the outer ward, followed by a drop of 3 to 4 metres (10 to 13 ft) towards the inner ward. Inside the inner ward is a flat triangular area about 32 metres (105 ft) long and 25 metres (82 ft) wide, in the middle of which the remains of the bergfried (keep) are found. All that is left of the keep is a mound rising up to 5 metres (15 ft) with a diameter of 8 metres (26 ft). The keep was built of rustication buckel stones (squared-off stones with a rounded outer surface).Only the moat is clearly visible today as none of the castle's structures above ground have survived. The whole area is covered by dense woodland.