Dellmensingen Castle

Dellmensingen Castle is a plain and unadorned three-storey stone building, covered by a gabled roof.

For a long period of time there were two castles in Dellmensingen: the Untere Burg (Lower Castle), surrounded by a moat, mentioned in the 15th century, of which no remains are visible today as it was completely demolished in 1809, and the Obere Burg (Upper Castle). Both castles were destroyed during the Thirty Years War. When the owner of the village of Dellmensingen, Johann Karl von Stotzingen, canon at Augsburg and Regensburg, died without there being a male successor in 1647, Ellwangen Abbey, which had seignory over the Lower Castle, attempted to expand its rights over the whole village, including the Upper Castle. This claim, however, was rejected by Emperor Ferdinand III whereupon the ownership of the Upper Castle together with its rights over the village went to Georg Heinrich von Werdenstein, an official in the service of Kempten Abbey, in 1657. Consequently, Dellmensingen became the main seat of residence for the Barons of Werdenstein. The dilapidated Lower Castle was rebuilt in Baroque style in 1685. It consisted not only of the actual castle building but also of stables, barns, bakery, a cowshed and other agricultural buildings, surrounded by castle walls. Castle Dellmensingen and its accompanying rights over the village remained in possession of the Barons of Werdenstein until 1796 when the last member of the family, Anton Christoph von Werdenstein, died without a male issue. The fiefdom of Dellmensingen returned to the Emperor. During the German Mediatisation nuns of Söflingen Abbey, which was dissolved following its annexation by Bavaria, found temporary refuge in the castle in 1809.