Schloss Ofteringen

Schloss Ofteringen stands on a southern hill above the Wutach valley in Ofteringen, a village in the district of Waldshut. The building is a solid structure with stepped gables, now fully restored. Today it houses the Marienburg convent, a quiet place where Rheinau monks once found rest. The site has deep roots in local history. The Ofteringen family appear in records as early as 1240, and knights from this line held the castle as a fief. In 1678 the last of the Ofteringens gave the estate to Rheinau Abbey. The monks built a large barn and a new chapel in the 18th century, designed by Johann Michael Beer von Bildstein. In 1860 Sister Josepha Schneider bought the property and founded the present convent. Visitors find a working monastery with simple, well-kept rooms and a small chapel. The stepped gables and stone walls give the building a solid, timeless look. Outside, the hilltop offers views across the Wutach valley towards Degernau. The nearby Reuentaler Mill, still owned by descendants of the knights, adds to the quiet charm of the area.