Gutenstein Castle

The origins of Gutenstein Castle are presumed to be in the 16th century, with its existence documented from 1626. A classical-style renovation took place in the early 18th century under Franz Ludwig Schenk von Castell. In 1834, the castle changed hands, sold to Ludwig von Langenstein, a son of Grand Duke Ludwig I of Baden. Through inheritance, it passed to the Counts of Douglas in 1872. The castle once served as the administrative center for the "Lordship of Gutenstein," a bailiwick that included the villages of Gutenstein, Engelswies, Ablach, and Altheim. This office existed until the lordship's incorporation into Baden in 1806. In 1978, the dilapidated property was sold by the Douglas family to Manfred Klietmann. After renovation and restoration, Klietmann sold the castle in late 2005 to a private individual from Reutlingen.