Ortenberg Castle

Ortenberg Castle is the landmark of the Ortenau region and is located above the town of Ortenberg at the end of the Kinzig Valley between Offenburg and Gengenbach.

The origins of Ortenau Castle date back to a castle complex from the 11th/12th century. Originally, Ortenau Castle was built by the Zähringer family to secure the Kinzig Valley; today, Ortenberg Castle houses a youth hostel.

After the construction of Ortenberg Castle by the Zähringer in the 11th/12th century, the castle was used as the seat of the regional bailiffs of Ortenau during the Hohenstaufen rule. The administrative seat for the Ortenau bailiwick was a central point for imperial taxes, a court, and a customs authority. The castle complex underwent its first expansions in the 15th century when it was extended with defensive towers (rondels) equipped with cannons. The castle suffered its first destruction in 1678 during the Franco-Dutch War, when Louis XIV had the castle destroyed by Marshall Créqui. After a reconstruction in the following years, the castle was destroyed again in 1697. As a result of this renewed destruction, the official seat of the regional bailiffs was henceforth moved by Bailiff Franz de Neveu to Offenburg. The current castle was built between 1838 and 1843 by Baron Gabriel Leonhard von Berckholtz (1781-1863) from Livonia, who had it rebuilt in the English style on the medieval ruins by Friedrich Eisenlohr. He entrusted the construction management to his student Georg Jakob Schneider. Since 1942, the castle has been used as a youth hostel. Further structural maintenance measures to preserve the building fabric followed in the years 1974-1981. In the years 1984-1985, the Painter's Tower was restored. The Schimmel and Jacob's Towers followed in the years 1986-1988.

It was named "Monument of the Month February 2010" by the Baden-Württemberg Monument Foundation.