Chronology of the Schloss Auerbach
Castle Auerbach was built in the 13th century as a powerful Fortress on the Urberge by the count of Katzenelnbogen. This towering fort was extensively altered and extended in the 14th century almost to the way it is found today.
After the deaths of his two sons count Philipp had only his daughter Anna left to inherit. She got married to the count of Hessen the Third. This is how the huge inheritance after the death of count Philipp in 1479 became the property of the Count of Hessen. During the reign of the counts of Hessen in Darmstadt the castle was administered by a bailiff or a count of castle.
In 1674, in the imperial war against Ludwig XIV Marshall Turenne moved down the river Rhine against the Netherlands and attacked the region of Bergstraße with his army. In vane the inhabitants of Auerbach, Hochstätten, and Balkhausen sought protection behind the walls of castle Auerbach. Through a subterranean walkway a group a Scottish Highlanders, which were working for the French, succeeded to invade the castle court and devastated the castle and treated the defenders very badly. Afterwards the castle buildings were abandoned and destroyed.
In 1820 the northern tower collapsed and was rebuilt 30 years later. From then on the grand duke really took more and more care of the castle. Since 1903 the Government of Hessen took care of the property and included the castle building in their monument protection program.
