Hardheimer Schloss, Renaissance manor in Hardheim, Germany

Hardheimer Schloss, also called Obere Burg, is a nearly square, mostly three-storey manor in the centre of Hardheim. Its entrance side has a portal with two large coats of arms and the names of the first owners, flanked by two massive corner towers of almost equal eaves height, now with baroque hoods. A stone bridge, which once crossed the moat, leads to the entrance, and a stair tower is set slightly back into the opposite facade.

The castle was built in 1561 by Junker Wolf von Hardheim and Margareta von Berlichingen and evolved from a moated fortress first recorded in 1324. The shift from medieval fortification to Renaissance castle shows how the structure changed across centuries.

The castle's name alternates with Obere Burg, distinguishing it from the Untere Burg. Since 1927 or 1929 it has housed the municipal administration, and the moat, filled in 1881 with rubble from the Gothic church, now serves as a garden with a small pond.

The castle underwent major renovations between 1985 and 1988 and now serves as the town hall of Hardheim. Visitors should know that the building continues to function as an administrative office and access may be limited to specific times or require permission.

The moat around the castle was filled in 1881 with rubble from the demolished Gothic church and now serves as a garden with a small pond. The epitaphs of the Lords of Hardheim have lain beneath the castle since 1615/1619.