Höhlenburg Fracstein

Grottenburg Fracstein

Useful Information

Location:	Burg Fracstein, 7212 Seewis im Prättigau- Seewis im Prättigau, at the road between Grüsch and Landquart. A Zürich-St. Gallen exit Landquart, follow main road towards Davos, turn off at campground or behind the tunnel and follow old road through the gorge. (46.9757359, 9.6158211)
Open:	no restrictions. [2024]
Fee:	free. [2024]
Classification:	Cave Castle
Light:	none, not necessary
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:	Maria-Letizia Boscardin (1977): Die Grottenburg Fracstein und ihre Ritzzeichnungen, Schweizer Beiträge zur Kulturgeschichte und Archäologie des Mittelalters, Bd. 4. Olten 1977. O. P. Clavadetscher, W. Meyer (1984): Grottenburg Fracstein, Das Burgenbuch von Graubünden, 1984, 330-338 Maria-Letizia Boscardin, Werner Meyer (2023): Burgenforschung in Graubünden: Berichte über die Forschungen auf den Burgruinen Fracstein und Schiedberg Heidelberg: Propylaeum, 2023 (Schweizer Beiträge zur Kulturgeschichte und Archäologie des Mittelalters, Band 4). Die Printausgabe erschien 1977 beim Walter-Verlag, Olten, ISBN 978-3-530-09540-1. pdf DOI
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As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

12th century	castle built by the Lords of Aspermont.
1338	first mentioned in the treaty as it was sold to the Counts of Toggenburg.
1466	sold to the Austrian empire who abandoned the castle.
1530	church abandoned.
1570	castle ruined.
1621	dam renovated.
1622	a small Austrian army unit is stationed at the castle, but is chased away by the locals.
1649	Prättigau becomes independent and the castle ruine is now owned by the village Schiers.
1799	the Bündner Landsturm tried to stop the French invasion here, but failed.
19th century	further destruction by the construction of the railroad and the modern road. Ruin used as a quarry.

Description

Höhlenburg Fracstein, Graubünden, Switzerland. Public Domain.

Fraqstein, Aquatinta, 1790, **Carl Gotthard Grass** (*1767-✝1814), **Franz Hegi** (*1774-✝1850). Höhlenburg Fracstein, Graubünden, Switzerland. Public Domain.

The Grottenburg Fracstein (cave castle Fracstein) is located in an extremely prominent place, in the gorge called Klus, the entrance to the Prättigau. This castle with its dam was able to protect the access to the Prättigau through this narrow gorge. The main stronghold once had four storeys and was surrounded by a wall called Letzi. There was also the church St. Aper and the house of the castle priest a little down the valley. At the river Landquart below was a toll station. Both were connected by a wall.

The most impressive sight of this ruin are the gravures from the 13th century. They are located in the plastering inside the residential building, in the former third floor. The gravures show various castles with wooden constructions, palisades and the coats of arms of local knights. The most important ones are today in the Rhätisches Museum in Chur.

To reach the castle is a bit tricky. The narrow gorge is a main route to Davos and the new Region Vereina Tunnel at Klosters, so traffic is rather heavy, and there is no parking possibility. A new tunnel was built to avoid the gorge completely, but the old road through the gorge still exists. It is used only by inline skaters and bicyclists now. You may switch to this road on both ends of the gorge, but while you just follow the white sign to Landquart at the first turnoff east of the tunnel, it is hard to find the small single lane track on the western side. There is a small turnoff soon after Landquart, about 200 m before the big gas station, which is signposted with a camping symbol, then turn right on a single track road which runs parallel to the highway.

There is a parking possibility at the entrance to the gorge, then follow the road to Grüsch by foot. In the middle of the gorge is a stair and a small passage through in the mountainside wall along the road. After a stair up, follow the unmarked trail to the foot of the cliff. Then turn left to the ruin.