Liebenstein Castle

The origins of Liebenstein Castle date back to the 11th century, when a branch of the Lords of Liebenstein came to the region from Alsace. The construction of the oldest part of the castle, between 1200 and 1250, is attributed to Reinhard von Liebenstein and his son Albrecht I. Dendrochronological investigations date the keep, the oldest element, to the years 1230 to 1240. In 1261, Albrecht I founded a Dominican convent in the nearby Itzinger Hof, which served as the family's burial place until 1666. In the 15th century, the property was divided into an upper and a lower castle. The upper castle was redesigned between 1525 and 1600 into a Renaissance building. In 1673, Philipp Albrecht sold the upper castle to Duke Eberhard III of Württemberg, who also acquired the lower castle in 1678, thus uniting the entire family property.