Scherneck Castle

Scherneck Castle is located between Rehling and the district of Au (Aichach-Friedberg district, Swabia) northeast of Augsburg on the Lechleite. In its current form, the building complex largely dates from the 19th century and is managed as an agricultural estate.

As early as 926, a castle of the Lords of Rehling is said to have stood on the hill above the Lech Valley. In 1999, local historian Helmut Rischert discovered a presumed predecessor castle "Alt-Scherneck" above the "Schlosskreppen", a hollow way north of the castle.

The first confirmed mention of Scherneck is a sales contract from 1322, in which Hans von Rehling sold his castle to Heinrich von Gumppenberg. The background to the sale was probably inheritance disputes. At this time, the Rehlings were probably vassals of the Wittelsbachs.

Between 1397 and 1411, Hans der Gumppenberger "von Rehling" changed his surname to "von Scherneck". The old castle was probably abandoned at that time and moved to its current location. The name Scherneck means a "sharp", rugged corner, and would therefore better suit the castle site between the castle and Rehling. The two castle sites are about five minutes' walk apart.

The Gumppenbergers held the Hofmark Rehling-Scherneck until the 17th century. In 1626, after the death of Hans Heinrich von Gumppenberg, the lordship passed to the Nothaffts von Wernberg via Renate von Gumppenberg. In 1636, Karl Fuchs acquired the property, but already moved to his estate in Moravia in 1640. The area around Rehling was exposed to numerous plundering during the Thirty Years' War, as it was located near the powerful imperial city of Augsburg. The castle stood empty and was placed under administration in 1642 together with the rest of the Hofmark.

In 1661, Count Felix von Lodron acquired the castle estate. In 1696, Hofkammerrat Johann Senser is mentioned as the owner. In the same year, the Barons von Mayer bought the property.

In 1823, Scherneck Castle came into the possession of the Barons von Schaezler. The family then began a generous renovation and expansion of the entire complex, which included the Baroque castle chapel. The current appearance of the castle estate is largely shaped by this renovation. The current lord of the castle is Dr. Christian Siedler.

The brewery operation began as early as 1719 under the Barons von Mayer. The Bräustüberl, whose beer garden is now a popular excursion destination, opened in 1820.

Since 2005, the "Historical Knight Tournament Scherneck" has been held annually in June on the "Tournament Meadow" in front of the castle. One of the largest medieval markets in the region has now developed around the tournament arena. In 2007, the first high ropes course opened at the castle. In 2013, it was taken over by the company Tiefblick, modernized and reopened as "Kletterwald Schloss Scherneck" (Scherneck Castle Climbing Forest).