Schloss Lauterbach, Bavaria

Schloss Lauterbach is a stately house standing on a moraine hill in the village of Lauterbach, part of Bergkirchen municipality in Bavaria. It lies about 10 kilometres west of Dachau, north of the autobahn between Augsburg and Munich. The main complex is surrounded by a moat to the south and west, now mostly dry and hidden by woodland. The estate dates back to the first half of the 13th century when the Dachau family made it their seat until 1437. After passing through various owners, it was restored in the 16th century by Jörg Hundt zu Lauterbach und Valkenstein.

The castle suffered damage during the Thirty Years' War and was burned down by its end. In the late 17th century, Johann Franz Maximilian Servatius von Hundt oversaw major restoration work. Early depictions, such as a 1568 map by Philipp Apian, show the remains of a fort with four corner towers. Michael Wening’s engravings from around 1700 illustrate the castle with a French parterre, a chapel, and additional wings, though some structures no longer exist today.

Visitors find Schloss Lauterbach in essentially its present form, with a hexagonal fountain in the courtyard depicted in Wening’s 1729 engraving. Later views from around 1800 show the disappearance of buildings to the north and parts of the southern farm structure. The moat and surrounding woodland add to the secluded atmosphere of the site. The castle’s history is visible in its surviving architectural elements, offering a glimpse into its layered past.