Hauenstein Castle is located on a ridge of very hard porphyry rising from the Rhine, steeply above the town of Hauenstein. The castle runs diagonally from northeast to southwest. The altitude and a bend in the Rhine allow a wide view upstream and downstream. Following the banks of the Rhine, an important trade route already existed in Roman times. Together with the surrounding river valleys of the Alb, Schlücht and Wehra, it forms a border. Thus, it was already possible with natural means to control the land and ship route on the Rhine. Today's road towards Hochsal was broken much later by the rock massif.
Source: Wikipedia