Iberg Castle, Aargau
Encyclopedia
Iberg Castle is a ruined castle located on Iberg mountain in the municipality
of Riniken
in the canton
of Aargau
in Switzerland
. Only a few remnants of the ruins are visible.
and two outbuildings. Surrounding the site was the castle moat
, which should protect against attacks from the south. As there are no written records of the castle nor the inhabitants, the only information about the castle comes from archaeological investigations. At the end of the 12th or at the beginning of the 13th Century, a fire destroyed the castle. During reconstruction, the moat was expanded and additional towers were added. However, the castle was abandoned before completion of work.
Since the area around the castle was held by the House of Habsburg and Murbach Abbey
, it is likely that the castle was founded by the Habsburgs or by a Habsburg vassal
.
Municipalities of Switzerland
Communes , also known as municipalities, are the smallest government division in Switzerland, numbering 2,596 . While many have a population of a few hundred citizens, the largest cities such as Zürich or Geneva also have the legal status of municipalities...
of Riniken
Riniken
Riniken is a municipality in the district of Brugg in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:While Iberg Castle was built in the 11th Century and abandoned in 1200, the village of Riniken is first mentioned in 1253 as Rinikon. The rights to high justice were held by the Habsburgs until 1460,...
in the canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Aargau
Aargau
Aargau is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. It comprises the lower course of the river Aare, which is why the canton is called Aar-gau .-History:...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. Only a few remnants of the ruins are visible.
Castle History
The castle was built in the 11th Century on the northeastern edge of Iberg Mountain. This site consisted of a main building, a gatehouseGatehouse
A gatehouse, in architectural terminology, is a building enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a castle, manor house, fort, town or similar buildings of importance.-History:...
and two outbuildings. Surrounding the site was the castle moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
, which should protect against attacks from the south. As there are no written records of the castle nor the inhabitants, the only information about the castle comes from archaeological investigations. At the end of the 12th or at the beginning of the 13th Century, a fire destroyed the castle. During reconstruction, the moat was expanded and additional towers were added. However, the castle was abandoned before completion of work.
Since the area around the castle was held by the House of Habsburg and Murbach Abbey
Murbach Abbey
Murbach Abbey was a famous Benedictine monastery in Murbach, southern Alsace, in a valley at the foot of the Grand Ballon in the Vosges.The monastery was founded in 727 by Eberhard, Count of Alsace, and established as a Benedictine house by Saint Pirmin. Its territory once comprised 3 towns and 30...
, it is likely that the castle was founded by the Habsburgs or by a Habsburg vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
.