The Schnabelburg is the ruin of a hilltop castle on the beak-shaped elevation north of the Schnabellücke near the village of Hausen am Albis in the canton of Zurich.
In 1185, Walter I, Baron of Eschenbach, named himself after the newly built castle. However, it is not known for sure whether it was actually the same castle whose ruins are known today. Archaeological investigations of the castle complex have shown that the castle was probably built in the 13th century, and very hastily. However, no traces have been found in the area around the ruins visible today that indicate that another castle was built first.
In 1218, the last Duke of the Zähringen dynasty, with whom the castle owners were associated, died, and thus began the economic decline of the family of the Lords of Eschenbach-Schnabelburg.
With Berchtold III. In 1270, a friend of Rudolf I of Habsburg, von Eschenbach, became the new lord of Schnabelburg. In 1278, Berchtold II fought with the Habsburgs in the decisive Battle of the Marchfeld against Ottokar of Bohemia. It is assumed that the Eschenberg knight fell in the decisive Battle of Göllheim in 1298, as he disappeared from the documents at that time.
A son of Berchtold, Walter von Eschenbach, helped assassinate King Albert I of Habsburg in 1308. He was subsequently placed under the Imperial ban. In August 1309, the Habsburgs besieged and conquered Schnabelburg in revenge for the regicide. According to archaeological findings, the castle was either not destroyed during the siege or was later rebuilt.
In 1955, Hugo Schneider carried out excavations at the ruins and carried out conservation measures.