Magenheim Castle

Magenheim Castle is located in the Heilbronn district in Baden-Württemberg above the municipality of Cleebronn and is one of the best-preserved Staufer castle complexes in Germany.

The locality of Magenheim was first mentioned in 793, its last mention dates from the 9th century. Presumably, the locality merged into the settlement of Rauhenklingen, which disappeared around 1500, south of Michaelsberg. The Lords of Magenheim were first mentioned in the 12th century and possessed two closely located castles: the now vanished Obermagenheim Castle on Michaelsberg and Niedermagenheim Castle, to which the present castle dates back. The exact founding date of both castles is not known, so it is also disputed which of the castles was the older. According to architectural findings, Niedermagenheim Castle was probably built between 1220 and 1250 and later modified several times. The early owners, the Lords of Magenheim, already relinquished their possession of Niedermagenheim Castle with half of Brackenheim and half of Cleebronn in 1367 in favor of Count Eberhard II of Württemberg and died out in the early 15th century. Württemberg pledged Niedermagenheim with half of Cleebronn as well as Rodbach, Meimsheim, and Botenheim to Weiprecht von Helmstatt in 1391. In 1408, Bernold von Talheim was named as the pledgee.