Schloss Lichtenstein is one of the most famous castles in Baden-Württenmberg and attracts visitors from all over the place.
A fortress has existed on the site of the current castle since as early as 1100, located directly above Honau and the Echaz River. The noble Knights of Lichtenstein were based here, ruling over the area including Honau, Oberhausen, Unterhausen, Holzelfingen and Kleinengstingen. The original fortress was destroyed in 1377 and was never rebuilt. Instead, a new, much stronger fortress was built about 15 minutes away from the original site in 1390.
In 1567, the (new) Lichtenstein Fortress lost its ducal seat and was left to ruin. In 1802, most of the building was dismantled and a simple hunting lodge was built on the site.
Then, the story becomes a true fairytale! In 1837, the cousin of King Wilhelm, Count Wilhelm, bought the hunting lodge and surrounding estate and decided to knock it down to build his dream medieval castle. It was constructed between 1840 and 1842 based off of his favourite novel "Lichtenstein" by Wilhelm Hauff. The Count did his best to incorporate as much of the existing ancient fortress walls, in some places up to the third floor, and then added additional buildings, facilities and a courtyard.
In 1980, descendants of the Count began restoration projects on both the outside and inside of the castle, aided by the support of various non-profit associations, projects which carried on until the early 2000s.
→ View the complete chronology of the castle on Schloss Lichtenstein's website.
Today, the grandchild of the Count and his wife reside at the castle and have opened it up to the public to visit. You can wander the grounds for free, taking on some of the beautiful hiking trails that lead to viewpoints around the area. The best part is the courtyard (paid) from which you can photograph the iconic castle which seems to rise straight out of the rock. A further ticket gives you access to the inside of the castle to see the collection.
You cannot buy tickets in advance, only once you arrive at the castle.
→ Check out the current opening times and ticket prices on their website.
