| Blauenstein | |
|---|---|
| Kleinlützel | |
 View of the castle ruins, 2018 | |
  BlauensteinShow map of Canton of Solothurn BlauensteinShow map of Switzerland | |
| Coordinates | 47°25′53″N 7°24′58″E / 47.4315°N 7.4160°E / 47.4315; 7.4160 |
| Type | hill castle |
| Code | CH-SO |
| Site information | |
| Condition | ruin |
| Site history | |
| Built | 13th century |
Blauenstein is a castle fort on a rocky outcrop north of Kleinlützel, Switzerland.
The castle was probably built in the thirteenth century. It suffered damage during the 1356 Basel earthquake and was destroyed in 1411 by the forces of Basel during the Neuenstein War. There are only a few walls remaining today.
As it was at the junction of important Roman pass on Blauenbergkette, the town of Kleinlützel proposes Roman origins for the castle.
This castle should not be confused with Alt-Falkenstein Castle near Balsthal, neighboring Neu-Falkenstein Castle, as Alt-Falkenstein was historically also known as Blauenstein and appears under that name on historical images, probably because at least Neu-Falkenstein was pledged to Rutschmann of Blauenstein for some time around 1400.
References
- "Blauen". (French) Chronologie jurassienne. 2009–2012. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
- "Blauenstein". Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse. 2004. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
- "Geschichte". Municipality of Kleinlützel. 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-09-15. Retrieved 2013-11-22.
- "Alt Falkenstein (Balsthal)". Integrated Authority File. German National Library. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
Burgruine in der Klus bei Balsthal: auch gelegentlich (historisch) als Blauenstein bekannt nach Rutschmann von Blauenstein, dem kurz nach 1400 einige Zeit zumindest das benachbarte Schloss Neu-Falkenstein verpfändet war