Schloss Waldmannshofen

Schloss Waldmannshofen stands on the northern edge of Waldmannshofen, a village in the Main-Tauber district of Baden-Württemberg. It replaced a late medieval castle and was built as a moated water castle. The site still shows the outline of the old water defences. The main buildings sit within two stone walls, one inside the other. A separate tower stands apart from the living quarters. The castle’s history is tied to the Rosenberg family, who owned it from 1421 until the mid-16th century. In 1523 the Swabian League destroyed the old fortress with 10 000 foot soldiers, 1 000 horsemen and 100 cannons. Kunz von Rosenberg rebuilt it as a Renaissance water castle between 1544 and 1548. Later the Hatzfeldt family enlarged it with Baroque features that survive today. Visitors enter across two bridges over the moat. Inside, the Great Tower is reached by a covered passage. The main house has two gabled wings linked to the tower. The castle now houses a fire brigade museum. The separate tower, once used for unknown purposes, remains the building’s most striking feature.