Kaltenburg Castle

Kaltenburg Castle is a ruined castle, located in the Lonetal (Lone River Valley) between the cities of Giengen and Niederstotzingen in the district of Heidenheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The castle was built during the High Middle Ages and though ruined, most of the walls are intact.

The ruin is situated about 60 m above the confluence of the Hürbe and Lone rivers in the Lone valley. About 500 m north of the castle is the Charlottenhöhle one of the longest caves in Schwäbischen Alb.

The name of the castle appears to come from the name of the castle founder Heinrich von Kalden also known as Bappenheim or Pappenheim, who was the Reichshofmarschall or Marshal of the Empire under Emperor Frederick II. The castle was built some time between 1150 and 1180.

Under the Hohenstaufen kings the rulers of Kaltenburg swore fealty only to the Emperor, an unusual privilege for a German noble. In 1240 Dietmar is mentioned in connection with the castle. While in 1265 Otto von Kaltenburg is mentioned as the ruler. By 1332 the castle is owned by Graf or Count von Helfenstein. The count's landvogt or administrator was Heinz Vetzer who lived in the tower.

In 1357 the castle was held by the von Riedheim family. They had received the castle either as a loan from the Duchy of Bavaria or they were serving as a landvogt or administrator for the Imperial City of Ulm. During the 15th century several nobles occupied the castle including the von Grafeneck and Stadion families.

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