A Visit to the 14th-Century Farnsburg Castle Ruins in Canton Basel-Landschaft

Tuesday March 5, 2024 -- We are currently staying with friends in the northwestern part of Switzerland as there are renovations going on in our apartment. My host grew up in this area in Canton Basel-Landschaft (or commonly known as Baselland) near the town of Gelterkinden and quite near the German border. We did a trip together across the border to do some shopping in Rheinfelden in Germany, and on the way back I noticed a fortress ruins up on a smaller mountain. I heard her story that as a child growing up at the foot of that mountain, their elementary school classes did hikes up to the fortress (Farnsburg Castle) as their "physical education", but she hadn't been up there any more since her childhood, and had never found anyone wanting to go up there with her.

So the decision was made to visit these magnificent castle ruins. As we could approach by car, it was only a 15-minute walk to the site (each way) which was a good thing, as it was on and off raining, and we were hoping not to be caught in a rain shower. (We were left unscathed!)

This magnificent castle was built in 1330, but changed hands several times until 1709 when the resident bailiff was expelled and the castle set on fire (WIKIPEDIA). As was often the case at the time, the castle then fell into ruins as its stones were carried away for buildings in other places. The castle was an almost unique example of a medieval castle with a frontal wall, and Canton Baselland felt it was worth spending over 7 million francs to stabilize the site and the ruin walls, and offer it to the public for free. We really enjoyed walking around the grounds and especially up to the top viewing platform by way of the narrowest spiral staircase I have ever walked on! Kudos to my friend who was less intimidated by them than I was!

This is what I saw up on the hill as we were driving past. We brought the groceries to the house, and then we came back here to walk up to the ruins.

We parked the car here at the Farnsburg farm, just below the castle ruins. There was a massive linden tree here, and Doris went to have a look at the placard attached to the tree.

This placard informs us that the tree is called "The Farnsburg Castle Linden", it is 21 meter high and has a circumference of 9 meters. It is estimated to be about 500 years old, and is one of the oldest trees in Switzerland.

It's about a 20-minute walk from here to the ruins

On the road up to the ruins we look down at the Farnsburg Gasthof/Restaurant and the farm, where they raise Galloway Cattle for meat.

Our first glimpse of the ruins. We did walk up to the viewing platform with the flag.

Placards provide information about what the castle might have looked like in the 14th Century.

Doris was worried that I would fall into the well, but it was only about a meter deep.

From here we can see all the way to one of Switzerland's five nuclear power plants. This one is in Leibstadt very near the German border near Koblenz.

A look up to the highest part of the ruins.

Doris is reliving her childhood memories.

Over there is the entrance to the very narrow spiral staircase which will take us up to the platform at the very top of the wall.

Doris climbed those stairs faster than I did!

A look down at the other parts of the ruins from the ramparts

To our north are a couple of towns in Canton Baselland (Buus and Maisprach) and at the back, where it is currently raining, is Germany and the city of Rheinfelden.