Burg Guttenberg

Haßmersheim, Germany, Germany

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Burg Guttenberg is one of Germany's last completely undestroyed Staufer-era castles, perched high above the romantic Neckar Valley in Neckarmühlbach, a district of Haßmersheim in Baden-Württemberg, surrounded by vineyards and extensive forests.

Founded around 1180 and first mentioned in writing in 1296, the castle has been continuously inhabited for nearly 800 years and has been owned by the same family, the Freiherren von Gemmingen (Barons of Gemmingen-Guttenberg), since 1449. The castle gained historical fame as the "Wartburg of southern Germany" when it offered protection to reformers within its walls during the Reformation period.

Today it houses several attractions including an award-winning castle museum with the exhibition "Life in a Knight's Castle" featuring authentic knight armor, weapons, and a torture chamber that brings the Middle Ages to life. The castle is also home to the Deutsche Greifenwarte (German Raptor Center), Europe's oldest private breeding and research station for birds of prey, established in 1970, which offers daily free-flight demonstrations with eagles, vultures, and owls at 11 am and 3 pm.