Clan Rising
Zwingenberg Castle today

Germany · Restored

Zwingenberg Castle

Burg Zwingenberg

Zwingenberg Castle (Burg Zwingenberg) is a spur castle on the right bank of the River Neckar in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, standing on a wooded hill spur above the valley. Built in the 13th century and substantially rebuilt after 1403, the complex today comprises curtain walls, several towers and attached residential buildings and remains a visible landmark above the river.

Recreate this castle →Defend this castle →

Play Castle Siege ↓

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

Its prime

1403

Today

Restored

As it stood in 1403

What Zwingenberg Castle looked like in its prime.

Perched on a wooded hill spur about 50 metres above the Neckar, the castle forms a long red-brown sandstone curtain-wall terrace punctuated by several towers: a tall, prominent cylindrical/square keep at the eastern end capped by a steep, dark conical/slate roof, smaller round towers with conical tiled roofs at intervals, and a central stone residential block with a stepped gable. Attached white-painted residential wings with ivy cling to the inner bailey; pitched clay-tile roofs and crenellated wall-walks complete the silhouette in its intact prime.

Its story

The story of Zwingenberg Castle.

Zwingenberg stands on a spur above the right bank of the Neckar where the river cuts through the Odenwald hills. The castle was the seat of the Zwingenberg family until their activities as robber knights saw them expelled in 1363, after which the castle was slighted by imperial order.

In 1403 the Lord of Hirschhorn received Zwingenberg as a fief and rebuilt it, the rebuilding behind the complex of curtain walls, towers and residential buildings that still marks the valley. After the Hirschhorn line died out, ownership passed between the Electorate of Mainz, the Electorate of the Palatinate and the Grand Duchy of Baden, and the castle is today owned by Louis (Ludwig), Prince of Baden.

Step inside

8 places to explore in 1403.

The record describes 8 distinct spots at Zwingenberg Castle, including the full exterior approach. 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 from the Neckar valleyBase and top of the eastern keepWestern round tower and curtain terminationCentral residential block with stepped gableIvy-clad manor wings and attached white housesCrenellated curtain-wall walkInner bailey and courtyardSouthern terrace overlooking the slope

Build Your Own Castle

Recreate Zwingenberg Castle with AI to explore it.

The artist rebuilds it as it stood in 1403, a photoreal reconstruction that belongs to you alone. Pay with coins, no subscription needed.

Recreate this castle →

Castle Siege

Play Castle Siege at Zwingenberg Castle.

A strategy game played on Zwingenberg Castle’s real ground plan: the same surveyed walls shown in the archive below. Post your finite garrison on the battlements between assaults, then hold out as rams, siege towers, trebuchets and sappers arrive in ever-worse waves.

Sign in free to see the garrison muster. One castle costs 150 Clan Coins and is yours forever.

Sign in to take command →

See every castle’s leaderboard →

Whose castle

Clans who held Zwingenberg Castle.

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

  • Zwingenberg

    Seat of the Zwingenberg family until their expulsion as robber knights in 1363.

  • Hirschhorn

    Held by the Lords of Hirschhorn as a fief from 1403 until the line's extinction.

  • Baden

    Passed to the Grand Duchy of Baden; currently owned by Louis, Prince of Baden.

From the archive

Zwingenberg Castle on paper: the measured plan and period views.

The survey plan and photographs below are the ground truth this page's reconstructions are checked against, drawn and photographed while the castle was still a working garrison. Every image is public-domain or openly licensed, with its source named.

Zwingenberg Schloss Zwingenberg Ofen, Zwingenberg Castle

Zwingenberg Schloss Zwingenberg Ofen

· State Archives of Baden-Württemberg (via Europeana)

CC BY

Zwingenberg Schloss Zwingenberg Schlossturm, Zwingenberg Castle

Zwingenberg Schloss Zwingenberg Schlossturm

· State Archives of Baden-Württemberg (via Europeana)

CC BY

Zwingenberg Schloss Zwingenberg Schlossturm, Zwingenberg Castle

Zwingenberg Schloss Zwingenberg Schlossturm

· State Archives of Baden-Württemberg (via Europeana)

CC BY

Nearby

Landmarks within reach of Zwingenberg Castle.

Limes Germanicus, GermanyAncient siteLimes Germanicus35 km away

Questions about Zwingenberg Castle

What is the history of Zwingenberg Castle?

Zwingenberg Castle was built in the 13th century and substantially rebuilt in 1403. It was the seat of the Zwingenberg family until they were expelled as robber knights in 1363, after which the castle was slighted by imperial order. The Lords of Hirschhorn received it as a fief in 1403 and rebuilt it; ownership later passed between Mainz, the Palatinate and Baden.

Who owns Zwingenberg Castle now?

Zwingenberg Castle is currently owned by Louis (Ludwig), Prince of Baden. Ownership passed to the Grand Duchy of Baden after the Hirschhorn line died out, following earlier periods under the Electorate of Mainz and the Electorate of the Palatinate. The present owner is also described as Ludwig Prinz von Baden.

Where is Zwingenberg Castle?

Zwingenberg Castle is in the municipality of Zwingenberg in Baden-Württemberg, on the right bank of the River Neckar. It stands on a wooded hill spur above the Neckar valley, where the river cuts through the Odenwald hills. The castle is approximately 50 metres above the river.

When was Zwingenberg Castle built?

Zwingenberg Castle was built in the 13th century, with major rebuilding in 1403. The first known documentary reference dates to 1326. The 1403 rebuilding followed the granting of the castle as a fief to the Lord of Hirschhorn and created the curtain walls, towers and residential buildings that still mark the valley.

Which family or clan held Zwingenberg Castle?

The Zwingenberg family held Zwingenberg Castle until their expulsion as robber knights in 1363. The Lords of Hirschhorn then held it as a fief from 1403 until their line became extinct. It later passed to the Grand Duchy of Baden and is currently owned by Louis, Prince of Baden.

What did Zwingenberg Castle look like in its prime?

In its prime, Zwingenberg Castle formed a long red-brown sandstone curtain-wall terrace on a wooded hill spur about 50 metres above the Neckar. A tall eastern keep had a steep dark conical or slate roof, while smaller round towers had conical tiled roofs. A central residential block with a stepped gable stood beside white-painted ivy-clad wings and crenellated wall-walks.

Who built Zwingenberg Castle?

Zwingenberg Castle was probably built by William of Wimpfen, a Hohenstaufen ministerialis. The castle was later rebuilt by the Lords of Hirschhorn in 1403 after they received it as a fief. The supplied material does not name a separate architect for either the original construction or the rebuilding.

Is Zwingenberg Castle still standing or is it a ruin?

Zwingenberg Castle is still standing and has been restored. Its surviving complex comprises curtain walls, several towers and attached residential buildings, including the eastern keep, round towers, central residential block and inner bailey. The castle remains a visible landmark above the river.

More castles of Germany

Fürstenberg Castle, GermanyFürstenberg CastleLöwenburg and Philippsburg, GermanyLöwenburg and PhilippsburgSchloss Burgau, GermanySchloss Burgau
All castles of Germany · Castles of Europe · the best castles in Europe · explore the finished reconstructions.