Schloss Leinstetten

Dornhan, Germany, Germany

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Schloss Leinstetten is a stately castle in the village of Leinstetten, a district of Dornhan in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, that became the local noble residence after the nearby hilltop castle Burg Lichtenfels was destroyed and abandoned in the 15th century.

The present castle, which celebrates its 400th anniversary in 2020, was built around 1620 in Renaissance-influenced style after the original medieval water castle (Burg Leinstetten) was largely demolished around 1838, keeping only its old cellars. The original Burg Leinstetten was likely built around 1230–1250, surrounded by a high wall and moat with a drawbridge, and was held by the local noble family until 1474 when the Herren von Bubenhofen were enfeoffed with it.

In 1783, Strasbourg patrician Philipp Jakob von Frank bought the estate, tore down the wall, filled in the moat, and later the old castle building was mostly demolished. In 1847, the Freiherrn von Podewils from Hinterpommern purchased the castle with its turf mound, and today Edwin and Bogislav von Podewils are the owners.

The castle is a prominent landmark in Leinstetten, a picturesque Black Forest village of about 560–610 inhabitants located in the Glatt valley where the Glatt and Heimbach rivers meet. The sculptor Bronislava von Podewils lives and works in the castle, and the village also features an impressive St. Stephanus Church, a guesthouse, and craft businesses.