Hochaltingen Castle

Hochaltingen Castle is an oval-rectangular, three-winged fortified complex with an outer moat. From 1764 to 1899, it served as the summer residence of the reigning Princes of Oettingen-Spielberg. The castle is located in the Hochaltingen district of the municipality of Fremdingen (Donau-Ries district).

The main building of the castle, as it appears today, was erected in 1551, when the Lords of Hürnheim, long since displaced from their former position by the Counts of Oettingen, retreated here. In 1585, ownership passed from Cordula von Hürnheim to the Barons of Welden, who renovated the castle. In 1764, the baronial family sold the castle and the lordship to the House of Oettingen-Spielberg. The princely summer residence was redesigned between 1853 and 1859. During this time, the large castle hall received a special embellishment in the form of a frieze of coats of arms, displaying nearly two hundred coats of arms of Oettingen vassals. The corners of the stucco ceiling in the Hall of Arms are adorned with depictions of the four seasons.

In August 1899, the princely House of Oettingen-Spielberg sold the building for 70,000 Marks to the Order of the Dillingen Franciscan Sisters (coat of arms above the chapel window), who maintained a domestic science school and later a nursing home here. In 1997, the Dillingen Franciscan Sisters sold the castle to the Teutonic Order, which continues to operate the nursing home to this day.

The historically valuable castle chapel dates from the time the castle was built. It houses a winged altar from the mid-16th century depicting the Madonna and Child (from the Ulm School) from around 1500.

Above the main portal of the castle are the coats of arms of the former owners: 1551 Hürnheim, 1651 Welden, and 1764 Oettingen-Spielberg. The firm incision of the moat, once surrounding the castle, is still clearly visible today. The partially preserved interior furnishings mainly date from the 19th century.

A description of the castle from 1671 reports on the dominant position of the building, from whose second floor one could see some 70 towns, market towns, and villages.