Malteser Castle

The castle area with today's forecourt was enlarged from 1512 to 1542 by the reigning Grand Prior Johann von Hattstein. He also founded a new parish church. The Franciscan monastery and today's rectory were founded from 1612 to 1616 by the reigning Grand Prior and Prince Johann Friedrich Hund von Saulheim.

According to an engraving by Merian from 1644, the small Fron- and Salhof had by then become a mighty moated castle. Prince Friedrich, Landgrave of Hesse, had the summer residence in Weinstetten between Bremgarten and Grissheim built from 1647 to 1682. From 1721 to 1727, Prince Otto von Merfeldt had the Maltese Bath built. Under Prince Philipp Weilhelm von Nesselrode und Reichenstein, the Chancellery building, the Herrenmühle, and the Chancellor's residence were built from 1728 to 1752. In 1803, the Franciscan monastery was dissolved. The Principality of Heitersheim was dissolved after its conquest by Napoleon I. Heitersheim was incorporated into the newly created Grand Duchy of Baden by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1806, thus ending the rule of the Order of Malta in Heitersheim Castle.

The castle was inhabited by the last Prince Ignaz Balthasar Rinck von Baldenstein until his death in 1807. Afterwards, grand ducal officials moved in, who were later replaced by pensioners and widows of officials.

In 1826, massive alterations were made to the castle, which fundamentally changed the appearance of this building. The north wing, as the oldest part of the castle, was demolished. The south wing with the prince's chambers, the house chapel, and the rondel tower were also demolished. The remaining castle buildings were sold to various owners in 1845.

The Order of the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul acquired part of the buildings for the Freiburg mother house in 1897. From 1908–1910, the former granary was converted into a sisters' house. The Church of St. Bartholomew was rebuilt in the area of the former north wing. A workshop for people with disabilities, maintained by the Caritas Association Freiburg-Stadt, moved into a part of the castle in 1967.

From 1971, the Malteserschlossschule (Maltese Castle School) used further parts of the castle complex. The Malteserschlossschule is a special school for mentally disabled children and young people, supported by the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald. The special needs kindergarten was inaugurated in 1977.