Teck Castle (Burg Teck)

Even from the A8 motorway near Kirchheim you can see it high above the Lauter valley: Burg Teck at 773 metres, its tower and long wall perched on a spur at the edge of the Swabian Jura. Only fragments of the medieval castle survive, but the 31-metre lookout tower, the courtyard and the Swabian Jura Association's hikers' lodge make the Teck one of the most popular walking destinations along the escarpment. From the top the view stretches across the Neckar lowlands as far as Stuttgart.

History: dukes, peasants and a royal family

The castle is first recorded in 1152, though it was probably built in the late 11th century. From 1187 a branch of the Zähringen family called themselves Dukes of Teck after it. Short of money, they sold the castle off piece by piece to the Habsburgs and Württemberg. On 3 May 1525 rebellious peasants destroyed it during the Peasants' War. In 1736 Duke Carl Alexander of Württemberg planned to turn it into a fortress, but work stopped with his death a year later and the new buildings were partly pulled down again.

The name, however, lived on. Franz, son of a Württemberg duke's morganatic marriage, was made Duke of Teck in 1871 and married a granddaughter of King George III. Their daughter Mary of Teck became Queen Mary, wife of King George V. The family visited the Teck in 1892 and made a generous donation. The Kirchheim beautification society had built the tower in 1889 on the foundations of the old keep. Since 1941 the site has belonged to the Swabian Jura Association, which turned the hall into a hikers' lodge in 1955.

What to see

• The lookout tower: From the highest point of the Teck ridge you look south-west to the Hohenneuffen fortress ruins and the Achalm, and north over Owen, Dettingen and Kirchheim into the Neckar valley, on clear days as far as Stuttgart's gas holder.
• Courtyard and walls: The courtyard with remains of the curtain wall is always open. A stump of Staufer-era wall collapsed in 2010 and was secured in 2013.
• The Sibyllenloch: A cave opens in the rock below the castle, a short detour from the path.
• Teck nature reserve: The area around the castle has been protected since 1999, so stay on the paths.

Opening times (as of October 2026)

The courtyard is always accessible. The tower can only be reached through the hikers' lodge and keeps the same hours:

• Summer season (1 April to 1 November): Wednesday to Saturday 10:00–22:00, Sundays and public holidays 10:00–18:00.
• Winter season (2 November to 31 March): Saturdays 10:00–22:00, Sundays and public holidays 10:00–17:00, Wednesday to Friday depending on the weather.
• Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays, plus a week's break before Carnival.
• Kitchen: in summer Wednesday to Saturday 11:30–20:00, Sundays and public holidays 11:30–16:00.

Getting there and parking

By car, head for the signposted Bölle and Hörnle hikers' car parks halfway up the hill above Owen. From there it is another 30 to 45 minutes on foot. The road up to the castle is closed; you may only drive up with a special permit requested by phone (€30 per vehicle). Coaches may only use the Bölle car park. Arriving by train, start in Owen or Kirchheim unter Teck and walk all the way up.

Tripto tip

Allow two to three hours in total for the climb, the tower and a meal. The lodge is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and so is the tower. Late afternoon puts the Lauter valley in its best light, and in autumn mist often drifts around the castle. If you want to keep walking, follow the escarpment towards Hohenneuffen.