Rötteln Castle

Rötteln Castle, located above the Lörrach suburb of Haagen, lies in the extreme southwest corner of the German state of Baden-Württemberg just 10 kilometres North-East of the Swiss City of Basel. The fortification was one of the most powerful in the southwest, and today is the third largest castle ruin in Baden.The ruins of the castle are situated on a widely visible forested hill 422m above sea level. The keep lies on a spur projecting from the steep sided east side of the lower Wiese valley.HistoryThe castle has probably existed since the beginning of the 11th century. In the year 1102 is the first documented mention of a lord of Rötteln, one Dietrich von Rötteln, the bailiff of St. Albans near Basel. This year is also considered the date of the founding of the city of Lörrach. In 1204 Dietrich III of Rötteln died, having amassed a large holding in the Wiese valley. His sons held high offices; Walter I was the Kapitular (a priest who is authorized to say the mass in a cathedral and perform other duties of a bishop) of Konstanz and Basel, Luithold I was the bishop of Basel, Konrad I was the founder of the city of Schopfheim, which was important to the later formation of the Markgräflerland. The first documented mention of the castle itself is from the year 1259.