Top 11 Castles around Marxzell

The present-day castle had two, possibly even three, predecessor structures. After the Baden Margrave Hermann V was granted the town of Ettlingen, founded by the Hohenstaufen dynasty, by Emperor Frederick II, his son, Margrave Rudolf I of Baden, built a castle complex in the mid-13th century – possibly on the remains of a Hohenstaufen predecessor structure. However, no previous structure has yet been identified. The lower floors of the keep in the castle courtyard, which are still preserved today, date from this period. A magnificent Renaissance castle followed in the 16th century. Two round corner towers were added to the south wing, and the keep was given a half-timbered upper floor. The three-wing Renaissance complex surrounding the old keep, completed in 1600, was destroyed along with the entire town by French troops in 1689 during the War of the Palatinate Succession (Wikipedia).

Finds show that the Celts settled on the castle hill over 2000 years ago. Evidence of the "more recent" history of Neuenbürg Castle only dates back to around the year 1000. Various families of counts, including the Counts Palatine of Tübingen, the Counts of Calw-Vaihingen, the Counts of Eberstein, the Margraves of Baden and the Counts of Württemberg, determined the fate and history of the picturesque old Neuenbürg Castle. The castle (today's rear castle ruins) was probably founded by the Counts of Vaihingen in the 11th century. The Counts of Württemberg acquired the castle around 1320 and built an official residence for the town, which already belonged to them, and the surrounding villages. This was followed in 1572 by a conversion of the rear castle into a fruit store (here a granary and wine store). During the Thirty Years' War in 1634, the castle was plundered, and in 1638 the north wing burned down due to the carelessness of a Bavarian ensign. Neuenbürg Castle consists of the old "rear castle", of which only the remains of the castle with walls up to 3 meters thick remain as ruins, and the current new castle built by Duke Christoph of Württemberg around 1650, which was built using older parts of the building. At the end of the 17th century, the dilapidated rear castle was sold and the bricks were used to rebuild the town of Neuenbürg, which had been destroyed in a major fire in 1783. Despite several attempts, Neuenbürg never became a ducal residence, and the honored princes Duke Magnus (1594-1622) and Duke Ulrich (1617-1671) were not lured to the Black Forest province. Neuenbürg Castle was always only the seat of authorities and offices and was inhabited by ducal officials. Until 2004, the State Forestry Office was housed in Neuenbürg Castle. From 1940 onwards, the castle rooms housed apartments and a painter's studio. Since 2001, Neuenbürg Castle has housed a branch museum of the Baden State Museum.

The castle ruins behind the castle garden are normally locked, but can be rented through the castle administration. https://www.schloss-neuenbuerg.de/

There's often something going on in the castle: castle festivals (open-air theater), exhibitions, events in the Epernay Hall, state rooms. Unfortunately, the latter are not original because the castle had fallen into disrepair for many years. But now everything has been restored.

Ettlingen Castle is well worth seeing. Also very close by is a lovely little rose garden to include.

The historic old town of Ettlingen impresses with its narrow streets, beautiful cafés and historic houses next to modern city architecture. Ettlingen Castle rises in the middle of the old town, the oldest parts of which go back to a medieval castle that was converted into a representative Renaissance complex in the 16th century. Ettlingen is always worth a visit.

The gateway to the northern Black Forest with its old town, the many cafés, the town hall square, the castle, the stock of well-kept old half-timbered houses, the gastronomy (especially the Vogelbräu brewery) and many other highlights are a must-see. Even the longest journey is worthwhile. Of course there is also an excellent hotel business, --- and castle festivals, the Alb, the Bismarkturm and and.....

Entrance to the museum through the castle courtyard