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Wartturm Ruin and Picnic Area at Eschberg

Wartturm Ruin and Picnic Area at Eschberg

Highlight • Historical Site

Wartturm Ruin and Picnic Area at Eschberg

Recommended by 26 hikers out of 27

This Highlight is in a protected area

Please check local regulations for: Volkenberg

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Location: Leinach, Landkreis Würzburg, Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany

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Best Hikes to Wartturm Ruin and Picnic Area at Eschberg

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1. Erlabrunner Watchtower Ruin – Volkenberg Black Pine Forest loop from Erlabrunn

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2. Erlabrunner Watchtower Ruin – View of the Erlabrunn Lock loop from Erlabrunn

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3. Erlabrunner Watchtower Ruin loop from Zellingen

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Tips

MS 🚴‍♂️

May 11, 2025

History
The age of the round tower remnant between the Espenloh to the south and Eschberg to the north is dated to the 15th century in the list of protected monuments. In the last third of the 15th century, the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg, Rudolf von Scherenberg, had land defenses (consisting of ramparts, ditches, and thorn hedges) and land towers built to protect against enemy invasions. The "Lion Tower," which already existed at that time, may have been incorporated into this land defense as a "watchtower."

The oldest pictorial representation of the watchtower exists in a rent and interest book of the Ebrach Monastery. From 1370 onward, the monastery owned a farm belonging to the Lower Leinach knightly family of the Hotzen von Leinach (heraldic animal of a rising lion) as a fief. The watchtower was also called the "Lion Tower" until 1900. Based on this old depiction, the watchtower could be the remains of a former small castle complex.

Significance
The watchtower served to observe the Zellingen-Retzbach ford and the old pilgrimage and trade route from Italy to Fulda, which ran through Leinach. From here, fire signals could be used to warn the settlements in the Leinacher Bach valley of approaching enemies, and it probably also provided visual contact with Ravensburg and Falkenburg.

Source: wuerzburgwiki.de/wiki/Wartturmruine_Leinach

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Bernd69

June 16, 2025

Not much of the watchtower remains, but that's unnecessary, as the prehistoric aspect of this place is what makes it so special. The Leinach Winegrowers' Association installed a bench and table set here in 2002 to mark its 100th anniversary. A brick barbecue grill is also located here.

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Jörg

August 19, 2022

right near the ruins of the watchtower.

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Details

Informations

Elevation 380 m

Weather

Today

Monday 27 October

9°C

7°C

100 %

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Max wind speed: 31.0 km/h

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Location: Leinach, Landkreis Würzburg, Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany

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Wartturm Ruin and Picnic Area at Eschberg

1. Erlabrunner Watchtower Ruin – Volkenberg Black Pine Forest loop from Erlabrunn

2. Erlabrunner Watchtower Ruin – View of the Erlabrunn Lock loop from Erlabrunn

3. Erlabrunner Watchtower Ruin loop from Zellingen

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