Clan Rising
Schloss Neuenstein today

Germany · Restored

Schloss Neuenstein

Neuenstein Castle (Schloss Neuenstein) is a Renaissance-era four-wing castle located in the centre of the town of Neuenstein, historically the seat of the Hohenlohe-Neuenstein line. Today it houses a castle museum and the Hohenlohe central archives and remains owned by the House of Hohenlohe.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

Its prime

1600

Today

Restored

As it stood in 1600

What Schloss Neuenstein looked like in its prime.

A closed, four‑wing Renaissance castle set in the middle of the town, its masonry façades enclosing a rectangular central courtyard. A Romanesque keep rises at the northwest corner, while two high, cylindrical round towers occupy other corners and punctuate the silhouette. A stone bridge spans the approach to a decorated entrance portal bearing carved coats of arms. The roofline is interrupted by the towers and the continuous eaves of the surrounding wings; façades display regular rows of windows.

Its story

The story of Schloss Neuenstein.

Around 1230 the complex at Neuenstein belonged to the Lords of Stein, whose descendants took the name "von Neuenstein". About 1300 the estate came to the House of Hohenlohe, which owns the castle to this day, and Neuenstein became the seat of the Hohenlohe-Neuenstein line, one of the two main branches of the house fixed in the great division of 1551.

Count Louis Casimir of Hohenlohe-Neuenstein (1517–1568), founder of the Neuenstein line, had the already-expanded medieval castle redesigned in Renaissance style by the Heilbronn master builder Balthasar Wolff. The result is a closed four-wing building of six floors, with the Romanesque keep of the earlier castle at its north-west corner, two high round towers, and an entrance bridge bearing the arms of Louis Casimir and his wife Anna von Solms-Laubach.

After Wolfgang Julius von Hohenlohe-Neuenstein died in 1698, the family moved its residence to Öhringen. From 1870 the Imperial Hall was renovated as the foundation of a family museum, and after the expropriation of the family's Silesian residence in 1945 and post-war sales of its other castles, Neuenstein is today both a museum, housing the shared Hohenlohe central archives, and the residence of the Prince of Hohenlohe-Oehringen.

Step inside

7 places to explore in 1600.

The record describes 7 distinct spots at Schloss Neuenstein, including 2 interiors: imperial hall (ceremonial hall), principal state rooms / family apartments. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Approach across the bridge to the entrance portalRomanesque keep at the northwest cornerHigh round corner towerView from the surrounding town streetRectangular central courtyardImperial Hall (ceremonial hall)Principal state rooms / family apartments

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Whose castle

Clans who held Schloss Neuenstein.

The families that held Schloss Neuenstein for a decade or more across its history, follow a name to its clan.

  • Stein

    Held by the Lords of Stein around 1230; their descendants called themselves "von Neuenstein".

  • Hohenlohe

    Seat of the House of Hohenlohe from around 1300 to the present day.

Nearby

Landmarks within reach of Schloss Neuenstein.

Limes Germanicus, GermanyAncient siteLimes Germanicus33 km away

Questions about Schloss Neuenstein

What is the history of Schloss Neuenstein?

Schloss Neuenstein began as a Hohenstaufen moated castle in the early 13th century and became the seat of the Hohenlohe-Neuenstein line. Around 1230 it belonged to the Lords of Stein, and around 1300 it passed to the House of Hohenlohe. Count Louis Casimir commissioned its Renaissance redesign, whose expansion continued until the beginning of the 17th century. After 1698 the family moved to Öhringen, and the castle later became a museum and archive.

What is inside Schloss Neuenstein?

Inside Schloss Neuenstein are the Imperial Hall, the Kings’ Vault and a late-medieval, fully functioning castle kitchen. The museum also displays hunting weapons and trophies, alongside Renaissance art, curiosities and historical mementoes in the Art and Rarities Cabinet. The Imperial Hall was renovated from 1870 as the foundation of a family museum.

Who owns Schloss Neuenstein now?

Schloss Neuenstein is still owned by the House of Hohenlohe. The estate came to the house around 1300 and remains in its ownership today. The castle now houses a museum and the shared Hohenlohe central archives.

Why was Schloss Neuenstein built, and what was it used for?

Schloss Neuenstein was built as the seat of the Hohenlohe-Neuenstein noble family. Its earlier medieval castle was redesigned as a Renaissance residence, and its later uses included a breeding and workhouse, a retirement home and an orphanage. It is now both a museum and the home of the Hohenlohe central archives.

Does anyone live in Schloss Neuenstein?

Yes, Schloss Neuenstein is still a residence: it is the residence of the Prince of Hohenlohe-Oehringen. It is also a museum and houses the shared Hohenlohe central archives. The castle therefore combines a current private residence with public and archival uses.

Where is Schloss Neuenstein?

Schloss Neuenstein stands in the centre of the town of Neuenstein. The castle is located within the town itself, rather than in a separate rural setting. Neuenstein is also its administrative locality.

When was Schloss Neuenstein built?

The origins of Schloss Neuenstein date from the early 13th century, but the present Renaissance complex was built in phases. The medieval castle had already been expanded in the 15th century, and Count Louis Casimir’s redesign continued until the beginning of the 17th century. The site’s first-raised year is not recorded.

What did Schloss Neuenstein look like in its prime?

Schloss Neuenstein is a closed, four-wing Renaissance castle surrounding a rectangular central courtyard. A Romanesque keep rises at the north-west corner, while two high cylindrical round towers mark other corners. A stone bridge leads to a decorated entrance portal bearing carved coats of arms, and regular rows of windows punctuate the masonry façades.

Is Schloss Neuenstein still standing, or is it a ruin?

Schloss Neuenstein is still standing and has been restored. It survives as a closed four-wing castle of six floors, incorporating the Romanesque keep of the earlier castle and two high round towers. Comprehensive restoration took place between 1906 and 1925, when the complex was also raised by another floor.

Which family or clan held Schloss Neuenstein?

The Lords of Stein held Schloss Neuenstein around 1230, and their descendants later called themselves “von Neuenstein”. Around 1300 the castle passed to the House of Hohenlohe, which has held it to the present day. It became the seat of the Hohenlohe-Neuenstein line, one of the house’s two main branches.

Who built Schloss Neuenstein?

Balthasar Wolff redesigned Schloss Neuenstein in Renaissance style for Count Louis Casimir of Hohenlohe-Neuenstein. Louis Casimir was the commissioner, while Wolff was the Heilbronn master builder who carried out the redesign. The earlier medieval castle had already been expanded before this Renaissance transformation.

Can you visit Schloss Neuenstein?

Yes, Schloss Neuenstein can be visited as a castle museum. The museum was opened to the public from 1878 and includes the Imperial Hall, the Kings’ Vault and the late-medieval castle kitchen. The building also remains a residence and houses the Hohenlohe central archives.

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