Hohenfels Castle

The castle's origins date back to 1837, when Duke Ernst Alexander of Württemberg commissioned architect Balthasar Harres to build a country residence. After Harres' departure, Vincenz Fischer-Birnbaum completed the classical structure in 1840. The estate was initially named Ernsthöhe after its builder. Later, the Duke married opera singer Natalie Frassini, after she was ennobled as Baroness von Grünhof. After the Duke's death in 1868, Natalie Frassini continued to live at Ernsthöhe until 1890. Her daughter sold the property in 1893 to Julius Heinzel, who was later ennobled as Baron Heinzel von Hohenfels and gave the estate its current name. Heinzel also established a stud farm. In 1918, he sold the estate to the electrical entrepreneur Sigmund Bergmann.