History - Schloss Altenburg

Near the former Roman legion camp in Vindonissa, at a point where, from the south, the River Aare is forced eastwards into a narrow rocky bed, a small castle was built in the Late Roman period. The origins of its ring wall – up to seven metres high in places – date back to the 4th century. Later, in the Early Middle Ages, the remains of the small castle are said to have been a bishop’s castle and then even the home of the early Habsburgs.

The Romans

As the first source references to the Altenburg, there are finds of an earlier origin which were re-used and incorporated during the construction of the up to four-metre-thick walls. These would all appear to be connected with nearby Vindonissa. For example, an inscribed tablet from the year 260 refers to the reconstruction of the walls at Vindonissa and an even earlier fragment was once part of a horseman’s gravestone dating from the 1st century. In view of the embedded finds, the defensive walls clearly appear to be of Late Roman origin.

According to the chronicles of Sigmund Fry (1530), the Altenburg was constructed to protect a ferry crossing to the opposite bank of the River Aare. Other theories claimed that the construction of the Altenburg was intended to replace the destroyed Vindonissa and at the beginning of the 19th century, researchers even thought that the Altenburg was a former bridgehead.

Archaeological excavations have uncovered evidence of four former round towers. As many as ten round towers are suspected to have existed on the site however. It has not been possible to form a clear picture of the inner buildings. The surviving buildings, which have retained and integrated the ancient ring wall, are all of later origin. It is the highest Roman stonework remaining in existence in Switzerland.

The original Habsburg castle

The first written reference appears as the “Altinburch” in 1254. No documentary evidence exists to the presence of the early Habsburgs in the Altenburg at the start of the last millennium, nor to the existence of a suspected one-time bishop’s residence. The first connection with the original Habsburg castle was made in the mid 17th century by the chronicler Matthäus Merian. In the late 19th century, Father Martin Kiem from Muri Monastry attributed the documented surname of the early Habsburger “Kanzellin of Altenburg” to the Altenburg near Brugg. Evidence of this might be provided in the form of one of Altenburg’s two known coats of arms, which depicted a red lion wearing a crown.

The “Little Castle”

The building which is today home to the youth hostel probably dates only from the 16th century. It is known as the “Schlösschen” or “Little Castle” on account of its dwelling-tower-like shape and two crow-step gables. On the first two floors, the Roman wall makes up the western side. In 1938, the “Pro Vindonissa” association and the Aargau Historical Association acquired the disused buildings and had them converted into a youth hostel. After a delay caused by the war, the “Schlössli Altenburg” was able to open as a youth hostel in 1941.