Württemberg Mausoleum

The Württemberg Mausoleum crowns the Rotenberg hill with a neoclassical design featuring four identical porticos arranged around a central cylindrical structure topped by a dome with an oculus. The circular ground plan with radial symmetry creates a composed appearance that reveals itself dramatically from the southern approach.

King William I commissioned the mausoleum in 1820 following the death of his second wife Catherine Pavlovna, built on the site of the earlier Württemberg castle. This shift in land use transformed the Rotenberg hill from a royal residence into a dynastic monument.

The interior displays marble statues of the Four Evangelists positioned in wall niches, and the space has served as a site for Russian Orthodox services celebrated during Pentecost since the early 19th century. This ongoing religious use creates a spiritual dimension that extends beyond the building's original purpose as a royal burial place.

The mausoleum is open to visitors from April through November, accessible via a footpath from the southern side of the hill. A gentle ramp leads to the entrance, making the visit feasible for most people despite the hillside location.

A double sarcophagus carved from Carrara marble rests in the crypt, holding the remains of King William I, Queen Catherine, and their daughter Maria together. This arrangement reveals an intimate family connection that adds human depth to what appears from outside as a purely monumental structure.

Location: Untertürkheim

Website: https://grabkapelle-rotenberg.de/en

GPS coordinates: 48.78194,9.26861

Latest update: December 20, 2025 13:59