Zwingenberg Castle

The origins of Zwingenberg Castle date back to the 13th century, when it was presumably built by Wilhelm von Wimpfen, a Staufer ministerialis. The first written mention dates from 1326. A nephew of Wilhelm adopted the name 'von Zwingenberg'. However, due to their reputation as robber knights, the Zwingenbergers were expelled from the castle in 1363, and the complex was razed by imperial order. In 1403, the Lords of Hirschhorn received the castle as a fief and rebuilt it. After the extinction of this line, ownership frequently changed between Kurmainz, the Electoral Palatinate, and the Grand Duchy of Baden. Today, the castle belongs to Ludwig Prince of Baden, a descendant of Grand Duke Karl Friedrich of Baden.