Dätzingen Castle

Dätzingen Castle is located in the center of the Dätzingen district of the municipality of Grafenau, which is in the Böblingen district in Baden-Württemberg. The neoclassical building is owned by the municipality and houses, among other things, the local history museum.

The Order of St. John acquired possession of the village of Dätzingen in the 13th century. As early as 1263, a brother house is mentioned in documents at the site of the present castle. A moated castle is suspected, but not confirmed, as a medieval predecessor building.

The first castle buildings were erected in 1607. At that time, the place came into the possession of the Order of Malta. The castle was expanded into its current four-winged complex in 1733. In the 18th century, the commander resided in the castle. After the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss (Principal Resolution of the Imperial Deputation), the place was assigned to the Kingdom of Württemberg.

Count Karl Ludwig von Dillen came into possession of the castle in 1810 through a donation from King Friedrich I. The current appearance was created through alterations by the court architect Nikolaus Friedrich von Thouret, especially the portico from 1810 to 1812. The building came into the possession of the municipality of Grafenau in 1961.

Today, in addition to the local history museum, the castle houses a gallery, an auction house, and an antiquarian bookshop.