Löwensteiner Schloss

The Löwensteiner Schloss stands in the village of Albersweiler in the district of Südliche Weinstraße. It occupies a prominent position in the St Johann district along Schlossstraße, directly facing a protected church ruin across the street. Built in 1764 on orders of Karl Thomas zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rochefort, the mansion replaced an earlier administration centre that had been run from the ruined Neuscharfeneck castle after the Thirty Years’ War. The estate once controlled Albersweiler’s northern half plus Ramberg, Dernbach, Bindersbach and the exclave of Gau-Köngernheim. The building served as the Löwenstein princes’ residence until 1794, when French annexation of the left bank of the Rhine ended their rule. Designed by architect Matthias Mayer in the Rococo style, it features a mansard hipped roof and includes two putto groups by Peter Anton von Verschaffelt. After losing its political role, the mansion became a BASF study centre, preserving its historical fabric while serving modern needs. Visitors find a well-preserved Rococo mansion with a mansard roof and classical detailing. The main building is accompanied by a smaller annexe dated 1801. Across the road the medieval church ruin offers a quiet contrast to the ordered elegance of the palace. The surrounding Schlossstraße links the site with the rest of St Johann, where timber-framed houses and vineyards frame the gentle slopes of the Palatinate hills.