Burg Dotternhausen

Burg Dotternhausen is a castle and manor house sitting on a hilltop overlooking a ravine in southwest Germany. The structure displays a two-story tower with sloped roof and crenellated gable, while an English-style garden stretches between the castle walls and a nearby stream.

The fortress began in the early 1100s and underwent major changes in the 1500s when a local noble redesigned its layout. Additional work in the 1800s transformed it into a comfortable residence, marking its shift from military stronghold to noble dwelling.

The property reflects the legacy of the Dotternhausen family lineage and served as a seat of local nobility for centuries. Visitors walking around the grounds can sense how important landholding families shaped the identity and character of this rural region.

The castle is privately owned and closed to the public inside, but you can view the exterior and surrounding grounds from outside the property. Visit during daylight hours to see the building and gardens in good light.

In the 1800s a scholar and publisher named Friedrich von Cotta bought the property and turned it into a gathering place for writers and thinkers. Famous visitors included Goethe, Schiller, and explorer Humboldt, who spent time here discussing ideas.