Werdenstein Castle (Ruin)

The Werdenstein family, originally free nobles, entered the service of Kempten Abbey early on. A Hildebrand von Werdenstein is first mentioned in a document in 1239. From 1350, the Werdensteiners held the office of hereditary chamberlain of the abbey. At the beginning of the 15th century, the family submitted to the House of Austria to gain more independence from the prince-abbey and assert themselves against the Counts of Montfort. In 1457, Count Hugo von Montfort besieged the castle. During the Peasants' War in 1525, the castle was plundered, and Lord Georg recorded the events in the "Werdenstein Chronicle." After the family moved to Dellmensingen in 1659, the castle was only inhabited by an administrator but occasionally served as a summer residence until 1782. In 1785, the last Baron von Werdenstein sold the castle to the Counts of Königsegg-Rothenfels.