Weinheim Castle

The castle's origins date back to the early 15th century when Elector Ruprecht III in 1403 and later Ludwig III in 1423 acquired adjacent properties in Weinheim. These initially served as storage and occasional lodging for the Palatine government, which also held meetings there. In 1509, Elector Ludwig V pledged the estate to the Handschuhsheim family. The current northwest wing was built in 1537 on the site of a previously acquired court. Ten years later, in 1547, the later Elector Ottheinrich used this wing as a residence when he fled the plague from Heidelberg. After the devastation of the War of the Palatine Succession (1688–1697), the Palatine administration, along with other institutions, temporarily moved its seat to Weinheim. Elector Johann Wilhelm planned in 1698 to expand the castle into a palace but failed due to conflicts with the local population. The southern part of the castle was owned by the Ulner von Dieburg family in the 16th century.