Ödenturm (Ruins of Chameregg Castle)

Ruin Chameregg, also called Ödenturm, is located 1 km east of Chammmünster, which is in turn south of Cham. The way to the ruin is easy to find by a sign to the nearby inn "Zum Ödenturm".

The Ödenturm rises up into the sky, very easy climb from the parking lot to the tower, unfortunately there are no bike racks to connect

Chameregg Castle RuinsThe castle may have been built as early as the 12th century; an iron kingdom of Chameregg is mentioned in a document from 1322, but the castle itself is not mentioned for the first time until 1352. At that time, Konrad von Chameregg was the owner; he came from the highly wealthy Chamerauer family.
In the 14th century, the Chamerauers assumed important offices for the Duke of Lower Bavaria/Straubing – the four brothers Peter, Heinrich, Ulrich, and Friedrich were chamberlains, captains, vicars, and city administrators. In 1365, they lost all these high offices for breach of trust and revenue evasion. Whether this was justified is unclear, but they were gradually rehabilitated.
Later, however, the family's fortunes declined rapidly; the horrendous expenses for representation and luxury could no longer be covered, and debts and mortgages piled up. In 1446, two unnamed Chamerauers were even executed by Duke Albrecht in Straubing for robbery and murder. Like so many other knights during this period, they had resorted to robber barons. In 1452, the last of the Chamerauers, Peter, died heavily in debt, and his remaining possessions went to creditors.
Chameregg passed through many hands, perhaps abandoned decades earlier and falling into disrepair – the new lords had moved to a moated castle in the valley. In the 15th century, the Polling family still appears as owners, but then news of it ceases. The castle was renovated in the 1980s.
Essentially, only part of the former keep remains of the small castle. The "halved" tower clearly shows how a medieval keep is constructed: four stories with vaults are clearly visible. The entrance is about 9 meters high. The wall consists of a shell of carefully hewn bossed ashlars on the outside, a rubble stone filling, and smaller, smooth ashlars on the inside. The rooms had an area of only 13 m². As usual, the lowest floor was only accessible from above through a so-called "fear hole." The careful construction suggests that it was built as early as the 12th century.
In the northwest corner, traces of the wall of the entrance area can still be found, which was probably protected by a gate tower. The complex was surrounded by a surrounding moat, much of which can still be seen.Source: burgenseite.de