Schloss Herrenberg

Schloss Herrenberg stands on the Schlossberg in Herrenberg, a town in the Böblingen district of Baden-Württemberg. The first written record of the castle dates from 1220. Today only ruins, sections of wall and a cellar remain. The cellar was incorporated into a restaurant in 1957. Remains of the western zwinger defences are still visible. The Schlossbergturm, built on the base of the old powder tower, rises above the site and shelters a dungeon beneath it. The castle was once the seat of the Tübingen counts palatine, who used it as a base for political and economic measures in the 13th century. In 1382 the property passed to Württemberg, and later served briefly as a dowager residence. Repeated structural failures led to its abandonment by the 18th century. An earthquake in 1733 caused further damage, and in 1807 King Friedrich I sold the castle for demolition. The ruins were eventually bought by the town in 1865. Visitors today walk among the remaining walls and towers on the small plateau near the summit. The Schlossbergturm offers views over Herrenberg and the surrounding countryside. The Schlosskeller restaurant occupies part of the old cellar, providing food and drink for walkers and cyclists. A separate room in the restaurant can be hired for events. The site is quiet, with only fragments of the once large fortress still standing.