Blauenstein Explained

Blauenstein
Built:13th century
Type:hill castle
Condition:ruin
Location:Kleinlützel
Coordinates:47.4315°N 7.416°W
Map Type:Canton of Solothurn#Switzerland
Code:CH-SO

Blauenstein is a castle fort on a rocky outcrop north of Kleinlützel, Switzerland.

The castle was probably built in the thirteenth century and destroyed in 1411 by the forces of Basel during the Neuenstein War. There are only a few walls remaining today.[1] The castle suffered further damage during the 1356 Basel earthquake.[2]

As it was at the junction of important Roman pass on Blauenbergkette, the city of Kleinlützel proposes Roman origins for the castle.[3]

This castle should not be confused with Alt-Falkenstein Castle near Balsthal, neighboring Neu-Falkenstein Castle, as Alt-Falkenstein was historically also known as Blauenstein and appears under that name on historical images, probably because at least Neu-Falkenstein was pledged to Rutschmann of Blauenstein for some time around 1400.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Blauenstein. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse. 2004. 19 November 2013.
  2. Web site: Blauen . 2009–2012 . (French) Chronologie jurassienne. 11 December 2013.
  3. Web site: Geschichte. City of Kleinlützel. 2013. 2013-11-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20130915040848/http://kleinluetzel.ch/html/html_z_framesets/fs_port_geschichte.htm#. 2013-09-15. dead.
  4. Web site: Alt Falkenstein (Balsthal) . . Integrated Authority File . German National Library . 2024-05-18 . Burgruine in der Klus bei Balsthal: auch gelegentlich (historisch) als Blauenstein bekannt nach Rutschmann von Blauenstein, dem kurz nach 1400 einige Zeit zumindest das benachbarte Schloss Neu-Falkenstein verpfändet war .