Schlotheim Castle

In the 10th century, Schlotheim was a royal court with a castle. Schlotheim Castle was first mentioned in 974, while Wolfgang Kahl proves the first documentary mention of the place between 802 and 817. In 1277, Schlotheim was granted town rights. The town became part of the County of Hohnstein in 1323 and became Schwarzburgian in 1340. From 1571 it belonged to Schwarzburg-Sondershausen and from 1599 to Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.

In 1425, Friedrich von Hopfgarten bought the town of Schlotheim and the castle from Count Heinrich von Schwarzburg. In 1768, the castle was demolished. The Baroque castle was built between 1773 and 1777 by Maximilian Ernst von Hopfgarten at his family's seat on the aforementioned site.

In 1945, the owners were expropriated by the communists and it has since served as a cultural center and is now back in private ownership. It now serves for curative education and therapy, mainly for children and for disabled children. The castle is a protected monument.