Schloss Langenburg

Schloss Langenburg stands high above the Jagst valley on a rocky spur in the Hohenlohe region. The Hohenlohe-Langenburg family still lives here, making it one of Germany’s few inhabited princely castles. First mentioned in 1226 as a fortress, it was enlarged in the 13th century with two massive round towers. By the 15th century it became an artillery stronghold, and in the early 17th century it was transformed into a Renaissance palace with arcaded courtyards and steep stair-towers. A later Baroque remodelling in the 1750s added the twin bridges that span the twin moats to the main gate. The palace survived the Second World War unscathed, but in January 1963 a chimney fire destroyed much of the east and north wings. Firefighters from twenty-seven towns battled the flames through −20 °C cold and frozen water supplies, yet the south and west wings were saved. Charlotte, Princess of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, a former Christie’s director, guided the sensitive reconstruction that restored the palace by 1968. Today the family residence remains intact, its history visible in every stone. Visitors walk through the Renaissance inner courtyard, famed for its clear echo, and enter the palace museum. Seven rooms display historic furniture, tapestries, porcelain and weapons, while the Baroque hall hosts concerts each summer. Below, the rose garden café offers views across the valley. Nearby, the former stables now house the German Automobile Museum, founded by Prince Kraft and the journalist Richard von Frankenberg. Every September the princely garden days transform the grounds into a plant fair with rare varieties, garden talks and local food.