Ehrenfels Castle

The history of Ehrenfels resembles a badly faded fresco, with only a few lines still clearly visible. The castle was originally the center of a manorial estate. It is assumed that it was the seat of the Lords of Sils.

The first documentary evidence of a von Ehrenfels family comes from a purchase contract dated 1257 at Reichenau between Baron Albrecht von Sax and Pfäfers Abbey, in which Conradus de Herinfels appears as a witness. A document from 1320 refers to "Burchardus et Rudolfus de Herenfels accaeteri (and the others) de Schauenstein". From this, as is often claimed in the literature, one can perhaps indeed conclude that the Ehrenfels and Schauenstein families were of the same stock, but certainly that the Schauenstein family were already in possession of the castle around this time and often only wrote "von Ehrenfels".

Already a ruin in the 18th century
In the 15th century, the castle is said to have belonged to the Cazis monastery, but in the 16th century it was still inhabited by two von Schauenstein brothers, one of whom, Rudolf von Schauenstein-Ehrenfels, was bailiff of Fürstenau and temporarily governor of the Valtellina. In 1742, the chronicler Sererhard reported: "The rudera of the ancient Ehrenfels Castle can be seen a short distance above Sils"; according to this, Ehrenfels must have already been a ruin in the 18th century.

Reconstruction
In 1933, the Swiss Castle Association acquired what had survived of the former Ehrenfels over the centuries and began to rebuild the castle with the help of enthusiastic young people. Despite some discouraging experiences, which meant that work progressed slowly at times, the "Youth Castle" was happily completed. It has served as a youth hostel since 1954.

Access
Ehrenfels is now used as a youth hostel for groups. The facility is located directly on the Domleschg Castle Trail.