Cave castle Schloss im Loch

The ruins of the cave castle "Schloss im Loch" are embedded in a natural grotto a good 100 meters above Pinswang. The grotto is approximately 35 m wide and a maximum of 12 m deep and was closed off by a straight front wall in the 13th century. A piece of wall south of this wall, dated to the 14th century, could belong to a small gate.

Description

The "Schloss im Loch" castle was built at the end of the 13th century to protect the customs post and the road. Unlike other castles, which were protected on hills or by moats, "Schloss im Loch" was inserted below the Burgschrofen like a vulture's nest in a cave, which occasionally earned it the name "Geierburg". Overhanging rocks provided shelter instead of a roof. A steep path, partly carved into the rock, led up to the castle. Despite the few remains of the wall that have been preserved today, the once mighty building can be guessed at.

But probably no burgrave was really satisfied with the castle, which was a sovereign fiefdom. There was a lack of water, which led to several changing feudal lords. In 1317 the castle was given to Otto and Rupert Karlinger as a fief and placed under the jurisdiction of the Ehrenberg court.

As early as 1609, Mathias Burglechner reported "that there was a castle in Pinswang many years ago". However, nothing is known about the fall of this castle. A plausible explanation would be that the castle was abandoned and derelict due to the relocation of the customs house.

Another possible interpretation is that "Schloss im Loch", like many other castles, became a robber baron's castle in the course of the collapse of imperial power and was conquered, destroyed and destroyed in 1434 during a successful campaign by Augsburg citizens and merchants. Although this has been handed down for other castles in the vicinity, history is silent about the "Castle in the Hole".