Schloss Westhausen

Schloss Westhausen stands in the village of Westhausen in the Ostalbkreis of Baden-Württemberg. It began as a medieval water castle built by the lords of Westhausen, who served the monastery at Ellwangen. After a fire in 1759 destroyed the old castle, the Fürstpropstei Ellwangen built the present baroque Amtshaus in 1760. The new building has a mansard roof and sits on the old foundations. For a time it housed the local administration, then became an inn called Zum Kreuz. In 1960 the community bought the house and turned it into its town hall. The castle’s history is tied to important local families and institutions. The von Westhausen family, who acted as ministeriales for Ellwangen Abbey, appear in records around 1150. By the late 14th or early 15th century the line died out, with the last member, Agnes von Westhausen, donating family lands to the monastery. Later the Fürstpropstei Ellwangen, the Teutonic Order and the Woellwarth barons shared control of Westhausen. A major fire in 1759 ended the medieval castle, and the new Amtshaus replaced it the following year. Visitors today find a two-storey baroque building with a mansard roof on Jahnstraße. The old rectangular moat was filled in long ago, though parts were still visible in 1886. Inside, the former Amtshaus serves as the village’s town hall, its rooms arranged for municipal work. The exterior keeps the style of the 18th century, with simple lines and a dignified presence. The surrounding village offers quiet streets and views of the Swabian landscape.