Schönberg Castle

The origins of Schloss Schönberg date back to the 13th century, with the first documented mention in 1303. It was built as a castle to monitor the important Lautertal road and was a Palatinate fief of the Schenken von Erbach. In 1504, during the Bavarian-Palatinate War of Succession, the castle suffered severe damage from a fire caused by Landgrave Wilhelm II of Hesse. After the elevation of the Erbach family to count status in 1532, a phase of reconstruction and transformation into an open palace began. In 1717, it became the ancestral seat of the Erbach-Schönberg line. Under Count Georg August von Erbach-Schönberg, extensive construction work was carried out around 1728/29. Between 1840 and 1850, further significant alterations were made to the manor house, the north wing, and the castle courtyard.