Baldern Castle

Baldern Castle is situated on an isolated hilltop northwest of the town of Bopfingen, which is almost five kilometers north of the escarpment of the eastern Swabian Jura. Today, the castle houses one of Germany's largest private weapon collections and is owned by the Princely House of Oettingen-Wallerstein.

Baldern Castle was first mentioned in documents as early as the 11th century. In the mid-12th century, a noble family, the Lords of Baldern, is named as its owner. In 1280, the castle came into the possession of Count Ludwig V of Oettingen. In the 15th century, the castle was mortgaged by his descendants and redeemed in 1507. The former residence of the Counts of Oettingen-Baldern received its current Baroque appearance between 1718 and 1737. The construction work was led by Franz de Gabrieli and, after his death, by his brother Gabriel de Gabrieli. With the extinction of the noble family Oettingen-Baldern in 1798, the inheritance passed to the Princely House of Oettingen-Wallerstein. Further major alterations were carried out in the 19th century with the planting of the conical hill in the form of a landscape garden. The tower was erected under the direction of August von Beyer only in 1887. As early as 1896, Baldern Castle was made accessible to the public.