En un regard
Le château en bref
The remains of Alt-Biederthal occupy a rocky spur at an elevation of 570 m, at the western end of the Schönenberg ridge, above Burg im Leimental (Basel-Landschaft). The southern side drops vertically; a ditch cut into the rock encloses the other three sides. The site, roughly 10 by 20 m, may once have carried a residential tower with an annex; a few courses of masonry survive to the south-west. Surface finds indicate occupation from the 11th century and abandonment at the beginning of the 13th century, when Neu-Biederthal and Schönenberg were built. The lords of Biederthal, free nobles, are attested in 1141 (Kuno and Hermann). In 1168, Frederick Barbarossa confiscated the estate and handed it over to the Habsburgs; before 1200 the lordship passed to the Ratolsdorf family, from whom the Blauenstein and Rotberg families descend. The stones were reused in neighbouring castles. Open access site, without facilities.