Gemmingensches Schloss Widdern

The Gemmingensches Schloss stands in Widdern, a small town in the Heilbronn district of Baden-Württemberg. Built in the 16th century, this half-timbered manor house sits on a solid stone base with a round stair tower. It was originally owned by the von Gemmingen family, who had held parts of Widdern since the 15th century. The stones used to build it came from a Ganerbenburg destroyed in 1458. Nearby stands the Gemmingensches Amtshaus, completed in 1584, which once served as an administrative building.

The building’s history reflects the rise and fall of the von Gemmingen family in the region. After the local line died out in the 19th century, the property passed to relatives and was later sold. In 1863, a brewer and innkeeper bought the castle and turned it into the Gasthof zum grünen Baum. For over a century it operated as an inn, complete with guest rooms, a brewery, a distillery and even a bowling alley in the garden. By 1991 it had closed as a public house and was restored for private use.

Today the building is a protected cultural monument and serves as a private home. Its round stair tower and stone base remain clearly visible from the street. The former Schlossgasse, now called Keltergasse, runs alongside, marking the site’s long connection to the von Gemmingen family. Visitors can still see the craftsmanship of the 16th-century builders in the exposed timber framing and masonry.