Höchstädt Castle

The construction of the castle took place between 1589 and 1603 at the behest of Count Palatine Philipp Ludwig of Palatinate-Neuburg. The designs were by Lienhart Grieneisen, and the execution was overseen by master builder Sigmund Doctor. The three-story building on a rectangular floor plan comprised over 120 rooms, adorned with crow-stepped gables, small stair towers, and four round corner towers. An older, Gothic keep was integrated into the new construction, breaking the otherwise symmetrical arrangement. The castle later served as a dower house for Philipp Ludwig's wife, Anna of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, who resided there from 1615 to 1632. Her Protestant conviction, in contrast to her son Wolfgang Wilhelm, is still reflected in the frescoes of the castle chapel today. Original wall paintings, stuccoed ceilings, and inlaid portals from the period of its creation have been preserved.