Alte Bürg

The Alte Bürg is a remnant of an early medieval hilltop fort perched on the western slope of the Eichelberg. It stands just east of Weißenburg in Bavaria, near the Schleifer am Berg district. The site reaches 570 metres above sea level and overlooks the surrounding countryside. Archaeologists recognise it as a protected monument under the Bavarian list of archaeological sites. The oldest traces on the hill go back to prehistoric times.

The ruins still show parts of a 3.5-metre-high rampart above a ditch base. After about 100 metres the defences continue with another ditch and two more ramparts, one of which contains wall remains two metres thick. A curved wall, 2.7 metres thick, separates the inner stronghold from the outer bailey and still has post slots visible. A 19th-century stone incorrectly claims the remains are part of a Roman fort, but modern research rejects that idea.

Visitors walk along grassy paths that follow the old ramparts and ditches. Three groups of burial mounds lie about 1,000 metres east of the fort, dating from the Neolithic period. The crest of the Eichelberg offers wide views over the Franconian plain. Interpretive signs explain the site’s history from prehistoric settlement to medieval fortification.