Derneck

Münzdorf (Hayingen), The county of Reutlingen

Once known as Degeneck, Derneck Castle was probably the last of the castles in so called valley Lautertal to be built by Degenhart I of Gundelfingen. The well-preserved complex is now owned by the Schwäbischer Albverein, which runs a hikers'inn and restaurant there.

Derneck or Degeneck Castle was first mentioned in 1351 when Degenhart I of Gundelfingen named himself after his castle, which was probably built just before the middle of the century. Therefore, the late medieval castle complex is probably the last new castle to be built in the Lautertal. A few years later, in 1365, Swigger XXII of Gundelfingen named himself after the castle and pledged half of the complex, while the other half was apparently at the disposal of his brother Stephan I. A chapel and a prison are documented within the castle complex in the 15th century. After the Gundelfingen family died out, Derneck initially passed to the Counts of Helfenstein in the 16th century, then to the House Fürstenberg in 1627 and to the Speth family in 1647. Further changes of ownership followed until the castle once again came to the Fürstenberg family in 1768, under whom the already dilapidated castle was used as an agricultural estate and forester's residence. Extensive renovation work seems to have taken place in this context. After it temporarily came into Württemberg ownership in 1828, it was subsequently acquired by the Schwäbischer Albverein, under whose direction it was converted and extended into today's hiking home in 1968.

In older times, the castle was probably always associated with the village of Münzdorf as well as a small castle estate, which in the 17th century still included several fields, meadows, gardens and woodland as well as a fishing lake in the fiver Lauter. An old path led from Derneck to Gundelfingen and to the old mill "zur Wittsteig". Directly opposite was the older castle complex on the "Kapf" near Weiler, which had already been abandoned by the time Derneck was built.

Burg Derneck von Horst Guth, Cinecopter