Adelmannsfelden Castle

Adelmannsfelden Castle is a castle in Adelmannsfelden in the Ostalb district. The current castle dates back to an 11th-century fortress, which was rebuilt in the 18th century.

The first mention of a castle in the settlement of Adelmannsfelden took place as early as 1113. Investigations of the castle walls revealed some still preserved Romanesque remains. In 1136, a noble family in Adelmannsfelden was first mentioned, but due to the mention of the castle and the place name, which indicates a noble family, they must have had their seat there as early as the beginning of the 12th century.

During the Interregnum, the place and the lordship came into the possession of the Counts of Oettingen, but in 1361, Counts Ludwig VIII and Ludwig X of Oettingen sold both for 4000 pounds Heller to Ellwangen Abbey. As early as 1380, the castle and village were bought by the Schenken von Limpurg for 3000, and probably served them as a hunting lodge, as there was a royal hunting forest in the area around Adelmannsfelden. In 1493, Adelmannsfelden was pledged to the Lords of Vohenstein, who retained this property until 1737. In 1610, the castle came into the possession of Otto von Vohenstein through inheritance division, and in 1621 to his brother Johann Christoph.

In 1737, the Vohenstein family died out in the male line, and the inheritance was divided among the families Jungkenn, Gültlingen, Nettelhorst, Bernerdin, Harling, and Onz. Friedrich Christian Arnold von Jungkenn had the castle, which was still "surrounded by moats (on three sides), a bailey, and masonry" in 1730, rebuilt in 1761. Already at the end of the 18th century, some parts of Adelmannsfelden came into the possession of the Duchy of Württemberg, and as a result of the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss, Adelmannsfelden completely came into the possession of the new Kingdom of Württemberg. In the middle of the 19th century, the castle housed the seat of the district forester and the forestry office. In 1882, the castle was reacquired by the Counts Adelmann, who still have their seat there today.