Schloss Hochdorf

Schloss Hochdorf stands on the southern edge of Hochdorf, a village in Eberdingen near Ludwigsburg. This Baroque country house was built in 1710 for Philipp Heinrich von Tessin after he bought the estate from the Münchingen family the year before. The grounds once covered more than 1.5 hectares of formal gardens, and the complex included stables, barns and an administrative courtyard. The church beside the house still serves the village as Martinskirche, completing the symmetrical forecourt. The main building now houses two foundations set up by Berthold and Doris Leibinger. Their offices occupy rooms once used by the Tessin family and their staff. Nearby, the old stables and barns have been converted into studios and exhibition spaces for local artists. The transformation keeps the working character of the estate while opening parts of it to visitors. Visitors walk past the whitewashed church and the arcaded courtyard before entering the main wing. Inside, the high ceilings and oak panelling recall the 18th-century interior. Outside, the remaining garden terraces and lime avenues frame views of the Neckar valley. The combination of art, architecture and countryside makes the site a quiet place to see how a country house once operated.