Achalm

Reutlingen, The county of Reutlingen

Around 1030/1050 the two brothers Count Egino and Count Rudolf built a castle on the Achalm, which they had acquired through exchanging goods. After the completion of the castle and the early death of his brother, Rudolf married Adelheid of Wülflingen, who owned a lot of property in Switzerland and Alsace and held valuable social connections, which made it even easier for him to become a part of the high society. In the Investiture Controversy the descendants of Rudolf supported the church reforms and were openly opposed to the reigning emperor. In 1098, Liutold of Achalm, Rudolf’s son, founded the monastery of Zwiefalten, which, as a result, was closely connected to the reforming party and even took Bishop Adalbero of Würzburg in, who openly disapproved of Emperor Henry V.

After the confrontation between King Henry VII and his father Emperor Frederick II, which the emperor won, the Achalm was governed by servants of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, who, as Achalm stewards, exercised municipal rights in Reutlingen such as the mayor’s office, customs, payments and the rights to the mills.

In the 14th century the Achalm became part of Württemberg. In the Thirty Years' War and after the defeat of the Protestants near Nördlingen in 1634, a series of Württemberg possessions were given to supporters of the Habsburg monarchy. An Austrian pledge was formed, which included parts of the Swabian Alb and the Achalm. Thus, the castle and its inhabitants became subordinates to Archduchess Claudia of Medici. The Achalm was returned to Württemberg as part of the Peace of Westphalia in 1648.

Afterwards, it lost its importance and, over time, turned into a ruin. The observation tower was restored in 1838. Part of the surrounding area was returned to Reutlingen in 1850, the castle itself in 1950 and the actual hill it was built upon in 2009, which now makes it property of Reutlingen’s citizens.

Burg Achalm von Horst Guth, Cinecopter