Neuenstein Castle

The castle's origins date back to the early 13th century, when a Staufer moated castle was built on this site. It was located on a sandbank in a swampy area, strategically positioned near an old long-distance trade route. Around 1230, the complex belonged to the Lords of Stein, whose descendants later called themselves von Neuenstein. Around 1300, the castle passed into the possession of the Counts of Hohenlohe, who used it as a residence. After initial expansions in the 15th century, Count Ludwig Casimir von Hohenlohe had the castle transformed into a Renaissance palace in the 16th century by the Heilbronn master builder Balthasar Wolff. These works continued into the early 17th century. After the death of Wolfgang Julius von Hohenlohe in 1698, the family moved their residence to Öhringen, after which Neuenstein Castle stood empty and fell into disrepair.