A previously unknown medieval castle has been discovered in the canton of Thurgau, Switzerland, following a study of high-resolution LiDAR maps.
The castle was identified in the Töbeli area while searching for distinctive terrain features, revealing two small plateaus sounded by steep defensive ditches.
According to archaeologists, these are typical characteristics of motte-and-bailey castles, an early form of medieval castle construction.
Relatively easy to build with unskilled labour, motte-and-bailey castles emerged across northern Europe from the 10th century onwards, spreading from Normandy and Anjou in France.
They consisted of two main elements: a motte – an artificial earth mound crowned by a wooden or stone keep, and one or more baileys, which were fortified courtyard-style enclosures built beside the motte.
Upon identifying the features from the LiDAR maps, the Thurgau cantonal archaeology office conducted an authorised survey and unearthed a small ceramic shard, several iron objects, and three medieval arrowheads.
According to written historical sources, a castle at Töbeli was destroyed in 1079 during a conflict between Abbot Eckehard II of Reichenau and Abbot Ulrich III of St. Gallen. Although it was later reconstructed by the Lords of Ittingen, the location was never specified in contemporary texts.
Archaeologists have long debated the true location of the Ittingen stronghold, focusing on three possible sites: the Chrüzbuck castle mound in Warth-Weiningen, the grounds of the Ittingen Charterhouse, and now Töbeli.
A 1152 papal document adds further mystery, which grants the Ittingen brothers permission to build a monastery “on their castle”, suggesting that at least part of the medieval fortifications once stood where the Charterhouse sits today.
For now, the Thurgau Office of Archaeology will leave the ground undisturbed, preserving the site for future research. Recovered artifacts are undergoing conservation as specialists prepare to study them in more detail.
Header Image Credit : Thurgau Cantonal Archaeology Office
Sources : kreuzlingen24
