Steinen Castle

The first documented mention of the original castle dates to 1278. At that time, Dietrich V and Adelheid von Rotenberg, who belonged to a cadet branch of the Lords of Rötteln, bequeathed the complex and other properties to St. Blasien Abbey. The exact location of this early castle is not definitively clear but is presumed to be on the site of the current castle. In 1563, the then moated castle underwent renovation by Gregorius Krafft von Dellmensingen, as evidenced by the year engraved above the entrance and on a window frame. Wilhelm von Heidegg acquired the castle in 1574 but immediately withdrew from the purchase upon learning of the debts burdening the property. The ensuing legal disputes were not settled until 1580. Between 1597 and 1605, the castle served as a residence for various Rötteln chief bailiffs. After the destruction of Rötteln Castle in 1678, the margravial castle vogtei moved its seat to Steinen for several years.