Burg Horkheim, Medieval castle in Heilbronn, Germany.
Burg Horkheim is a water castle in Heilbronn with a residential tower and enclosure walls that still show Gothic vine-pattern paintings from the 16th century. The grounds spread across the area with vineyard plantings and utility structures that extend along Schlossgasse street toward the old wine press.
The castle changed owners in 1389 when Eberhard II of Württemberg sold it to the Teutonic Order's Heilbronn commandery. This shift shaped how the place was used and valued for the centuries that followed.
From the 17th to the 19th century, the local Jewish community used the castle as both a residence and synagogue. The spaces show how religious and daily life were intertwined here.
The castle can be reached on foot through the town and sits directly on Schlossgasse street, making orientation straightforward. Access is through the grounds, which are located within a residential area of the city.
In the 1740s, around 90 people from 17 Jewish families lived within the castle walls without paying the usual protection fees. This arrangement made the castle a special refuge for the Jewish population at that time.
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