Hegne Castle

The exact date of Hegne Castle's construction is not known, but its origin is presumed to be in the 16th century. The property is first mentioned in writing in 1570, when it changed hands. After further sales, it came into the possession of the Prince-Bishopric of Constance in 1591 under Cardinal and Bishop Andreas of Austria. He had the medieval building transformed into a Renaissance summer residence, complete with a chapel, a castle park, and a menagerie, which was, however, soon disbanded for cost reasons. During the Thirty Years' War, the castle was plundered by Protestant troops in 1642, but was repaired after the war. It remained the property of the Prince-Bishopric until secularization in 1803. Subsequently, it served as a state domain of the Grand Duchy of Baden and changed owners several times. In 1863, the Basel company Isaac Dreyfus Söhne & Cie.