Schloss Ortenberg

Ortenberg, Germany, Germany

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Schloss Ortenberg in Ortenberg, Germany, is the iconic landmark of the Ortenau region, perched above the town at the end of the Kinzig Valley between Offenburg and Gengenbach in Baden-Württemberg. Built in the 11th or 12th century by the Zähringer family to protect the strategic valley, it served as an administrative center for local bailiffs under the Hohenstaufen dynasty, handling imperial taxes, courts, and customs until its destruction in 1678 during the Franco-Dutch War and again in 1697. Rebuilt in Gothic Revival style between 1838 and 1843 by Baron Gabriel Leonhard von Berckholtz using medieval ruins as a base—with towers like the tall Schimmelturm restored later—it has operated as a youth hostel since 1942, offering stunning panoramic views amid Black Forest hikes and nearby vineyards.