 Hohenurach
First view from the Ermstal freeway (B28).
|  Hohenurach
Hohenurach, North side with Dettinger Tower/Gate
|  Hohenurach
The aptly named 'Runder Berg'. Castlewise so far unclaimed. The next better known castle in that direction is the Achalm (abandoned after the 30 Year War, some remaining walls and a viewing tower dating from 1822).
|  Urach anno 1830
Urach, town and hilltop stronghold, lithography from ca 1830 after an (earlier?) drawing. In any case pre-industrialization look. The town gates with the top level penthouses (if that is what they are) are gone. The main landmarks are still there: the hilltop castle ruin, the downtown 'château' and the Stiftskirche.
|  Urach, the floor plans of the fortress
The fortress is first mentioned in the Hohenstaufen period. The main outer fortifications date from the time of Ulrich. Carl Eugen ordered a general, Y-Burg type yard sale in 1767. Even the cut stones of the walls were on the auction list. The embellishment of Ludwigsburg had priority. The Earls of Urach had moved to the more comfortable downtown castle long before that, in 1443.
I am somewhat puzzled about the Dettinger 'gate' (legend #8). No detectable ingress or egress openings and perched atop sheer rock walls. Cannot rule out a deliberate pun. The township of Dettingen can actually be seen from the top of this bastion. - A 'ward' (enclosure sense) does indeed 'guard' something, as any head nurse will tell you. Also not too sure about the 'upper fortiment'.
The Hohenurach served also as 'sanatorium' for mentally unstable members the House of Württemberg. (Well, maybe not by that name.) Duke Heinrich, the father of the unpredictable Ulrich, was confined there...
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 Urach, high profile detainees
Only two names ring a bell: Grävenitz, the much beloved first lady once removed who did run things in Ludwigsburg. Off-hand, particular merit paired with absolutistic opportunity. A gentle disposition also helps. Legend claims that she was once married with Dennis Kozlowski. Only thing certain, she had more pairs of shoes than that other first lady. Frisoni was one of the Imhoteps of Ludwigsburg. High risk job since Biblical time. Today in favor, tomorrow in disgrace. - Suspect that some of the unnamed prisoners were simply spa guests who could not pay their bills.
( The Frisoni family tomb, R.C. König Christus Kirche and cemetery in Oeffingen.)
|  Urach, the fortress
Finally there. Between the first and second barbican.
|  Urach, Schlossberg vistas
Brühlbach valley. The brook is hidden by the edge of the forest. The Uracher waterfall will be in the left fork.
|  Urach, Schlossberg vistas
Maisental
|  Urach, Schlossberg vistas
Maisental, the post harvest stubble of an enclosed field of wheat
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 Urach, Schlossberg vistas
the display size is ok but the refreshment rate is too low
|  Urach, outer court yard and watchtower
The open air 'casemates'. The access way could be taken under fire from here. The cost conscious Carl Eugen predictably left no cannons behind when he ordered the close down of the fortress. - Roof tile view of Urach itself. The old downtown lies between the rivers Erms and Elsach. The slight Y-shape can still be seen. An open air bath (Höhenfreibad) is nestled into the flank of the Hann. A Youth Hostel is strategically located between the railway station, the open air bath and the fortress ruins.
|  Urach, Schlossberg vistas
Hann Höhenfreibad. Does not look overcrowded but parking space is getting scare. Always a problem. The orange mushrooms will serve as additional changing cubicles.
|  Urach, Schlossberg vistas
Urach, Amandus Stiftskirche and Urach castle. Particular color interpretation: the selected few. Technically a Bruegel filter. (There was just too much red.)
|  the upper gateway
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 inside the upper gateway
|  inside the upper gateway
|  Urach, 'sharp corner'
Some daring do. Ghettoblaster on board. This group passed me on the way up. Probably a better breakfast cereal.
|  Urach, 'sharp corner'
|  Hypericum perforatum
Perforate St John's wort. Voodoo without the pins.
|
 in the well garden
could spot neither a frog nor a princess - (some kind of Shrek must have eaten them both)
|  Linaria vulgaris
Toadflax (Butter 'n' eggs). Slightly staggered planes of sharpness would have helped.
|  gabled wall near fortress kitchen
|  gabled wall near fortress kitchen
|  gabled wall near fortress kitchen
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 gabled wall near fortress kitchen
You have to put the whole mountain on a turntable and then wait for the right moment to get such an edgewise shot.
|  the wall corona
|  the wall corona, Anthyllis vulneraria
Kidney vetch (yellow) and Scabious (violet)
|  Dettinger 'gate'
wings are optional
|  Urach, Schlossberg vistas
The other face of Bad Urach: Rehabilitation hospitals and hot springs.
|
 Urach, mullioned fortress window
A lozenge shaped square of blue. Standard hilltop distortion. Not sure what the former fortress knights would have made out of it. Only thing certain, plate armor would never fit into the present line of lockers.
|  Hohenurach
The checkerboard stone of Hohenurach (slate roofing in stone?). Similar ornamental stones can be found in the basilica of Hirsau. The rest is conjecture. Surplus store acquisition, the traveling stone salesman at the door, medieval souvenir hunting or, more daring, an intertwined building history (Mettler speculation, 1922). Some dating problems. The shown checkerboard stone is part of the Gothic window of the previous picture. Curtain rail position. Best guess: master bedroom or chapel. (The info board shows an external chapel but the latter dates only from 1662.) There are no other matching stones in Hohenurach. Nearly a symmetry violation. (I am nearly certain that somebody did already check the heap of bric-a-brac stones in front of the main gate.)
> the checkerboard banding in Hirsau
 Hohenurach
Another fountain of youth. In castle language, take the drawing well challenge. Tripod structure.
|  Hohenurach
Corkscrew staircase to the so called secret vault. Nothing special. Just another dungeon room. Whatever access there ever was to the cave under the castle is presently well plugged. (I tried the backdoor, West side, but failed to reach the cave. Some very slippery, moss covered rock walls. The only cave I discovered ended in a foot high passage.)
|  Hohenurach
Brühlbachtal. You should nearly be able hear the Uracher waterfall (I did not). - Foreground, some parapet scaling spurge.
|
 Hohenurach
Cliff. The map says Rutschenfelsen. The rock that slides or something of that nature. - If you are not quite so daring. You can practically slide down the whole West side of the Hohenurach. Just step on a patch of wet leaves and loose rubble. Some obstructing beech trunks but you should be able to slalom around. 'Pas de fourmis' territory should that be beyond your personal skill level.
|  Hohenurach
staggered walls, some buttressing, the ghost of departed vaults - the Gothic Great Hall (chapel, master bedroom) is in the middle.
|  Hohenurach
wall with hastily repaired section
|  Hohenurach
Cranesbill, Geranium robertium, the one and only. The chopstick virtuoso of the forest and the gravel ballast (elongated seedpods). (Crib: how long were the stick on nails of Chopin.) Showy, five tined pistil. The stamens are jettisoned at this stage. There is always a backup flower. The lobed leaves will turn firered at the appropriate season.
|  Hohenurach
Herb Robert. The alternative French name may refer to the horned wether heads ('robinet', Robert, nickname for 'wether') once shown on faucets. Au pied de la lettre: faucet herb.
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