Altes Schloss Beihingen

The Alte Schloss Beihingen stands in Freiberg am Neckar, a town on the Neckar river in the Ludwigsburg district of Baden-Württemberg. It was built in the 13th century and consists of two opposing half-timbered buildings enclosed by a wall. The oldest part is likely the Steinhaus, constructed around 1480, though earlier Romanesque buildings once stood there, leaving only a partial tower today. The castle has seen many changes over the centuries. In the 15th century, it was largely remodelled, with corner and defensive towers added to the south side. The von Freiberg family acquired it in 1534 and reshaped it into its current form by 1546. Later, the Gemmingen family bought it in 1710 and added farm buildings. By the 19th century, the Steinhaus served as the steward’s residence, and after the Second World War the castle stood empty until Beihingen’s local council purchased it in 1965. Today, the Alte Schloss houses the town archive, a library, and eleven apartments. The Steinhaus still stands as part of the complex, and the entire site was restored between 1966 and 1969. Visitors can see the medieval layout of the two half-timbered wings and the surrounding defensive wall. The surviving Romanesque tower and the later defensive towers add to the historic atmosphere of the place.