Schloss Ortenburg

Ortenburg, Germany, Germany

---

Schloss Ortenburg is a well-preserved Renaissance castle in the town of Ortenburg, Lower Bavaria, and served as the residence of the Counts of Ortenburg for nearly 700 years.

The site originated as a hilltop fortress built around 1120 by Count Rapoto I, but after repeated conflicts and major destruction during the Landshut War of Succession in 1504, it was rebuilt between 1562 and 1575 as the impressive castle seen today. The castle is closely linked to the history of Protestantism in Bavaria.

Count Joachim of Ortenburg introduced the Reformation to his county in 1563, making Ortenburg a notable Protestant enclave within a largely Catholic region. Today, Schloss Ortenburg houses a museum featuring historic rooms, local history exhibits, and valuable works of art. Highlights include the richly decorated castle chapel and its remarkable coffered wooden ceiling, considered one of the finest Renaissance ceilings in Germany.