Meßkirch Castle

The origins of the castle date back to the early 15th century. Around 1520, Gottfried Werner von Zimmern undertook renovations to the existing structure, which, however, quickly led to dilapidation due to poor execution. This prompted Froben Christoph von Zimmern to demolish the old castle and build a new one. He laid the foundation stone for the current castle himself on May 9, 1557. Master builder Jörg Schwarzenberger, active in Meßkirch in 1561 and 1566, created a pioneering Renaissance castle, known as the “Meßkirch Castle type,” which was later adopted by other noble families such as the Zollerns and Fürstenbergs. By 1566, the four corner towers and three wings were completed, with an old building forming the fourth wing.