castle in 1415 from the highly indebted Otto II, last Margrave of Baden-Hachberg. The Margraves of Baden 1415-1535 The castle survived the war of the Oberrheinischer Städtebund versus Bernhard I in 1424 and even withstood siege during the German Peasant's War in 1525. The Margraves of Baden-Durlach 1535–1771 Karl II greatly enhanced the castle's defences in 1553 and turned it into a more modern, renaissance style fortification. Margrave Georg Friedrich added 7 bastions around the castle's perimeter and gave some the names of Hachbergs sister castles in Baden all of which laid in the realm of Margraves of Baden-Durlach. (Bastion Rötteln; Bastion Sausenberg; Bastion Badenweiler) The castle was besieged for two years during the Thirty Years' War in 1634 and was slighted for the first time after surrendering to the attackers. However, in 1660 Margrave Friedrich VI induced the reconstruction of the castle. Demolition In 1681 the defences were destroyed voluntarily by the French after they had taken many of the holdings in Baden through the Treaty of peace of Nijmegen and a manned castle Hachberg could have posed a sizable threat to their new territory. Only three years later peasants caused a fire which destroyed the remaining living quarters. And in 1688 French troops destroyed what little remained of the fortification, turning it into a ruin. Preservation of the ruin The first steps at preserving the ruin were taken towards the end of the 19th century and still persist to this day. Work was only temporarily halted during the two world wars. The Society for the conservation of the Hochburg has been taking care of the ruin on voluntary work since 1971 and in 2007 they bought the tenancy of the castle. Today The Hochburg can be visited by anyone free of charge. It is part of the program for the state preservation of castles and gardens in Baden-Württemberg and in 1991 a small museum was added in the cellar. The castle has been depicted in several paintings and has many mythical tales surrounding it, speaking of hidden treasure and restless knights, waiting to return. References Further reading Alfons Zettler, Thomas Zotz: Die Burgen im mittelalterlichen Breisgau. Halbband 1. A - K. Nördlicher Teil. In: Archäologie und Geschichte. Freiburger Forschungen zum ersten Jahrtausend in Südwestdeutschland, Band 14. Jan Thorbecke Verlag, Ostfildern 2003, , S. 122-133. Rolf Brinkmann: Burgruine Hochburg - von der Rodungsburg zur Festung, Selbstverlag 2001, Rolf Brinkmann: