The palace of Öhringen

The oldest part of the palace, the “Lange Bau” with its passage to the palace courtyard, was built in 1611/16 at the site of the former Chorherrenhäuser (canons dwellings). 

The building plans were designed by Georg Kern, architect for the count of Hohenlohe. He designed the palace in Renaissance-style as a widow's residence for Countess Magdalena of Hohenlohe, born Countess of Nassau-Katzenelnbogen, widow of count Wolfgang II of Hohenlohe. 

At its ends, the rectangular building is ornamented with large volute gables of rich scrollwork on three sides. It also has obelisks and an octagonal spiral staircase tower with an outer covered stairway to the palace cellars at the side facing the courtyard.

Count Johann Friedrich I of Hohenlohe-Neuenstein established  a first residence for Öhringen in 1677. He commissioned Paul Platz from Belfort with the right-angled addition of the “Marstallbau” at the western side in 1681/83 and the transfer of two gables of the “Lange Bau” to the new building.

Above the Marstalltor, there is the alliance coat of arms of Hohenlohe und Schleswig-Holstein-Nordburg. On the ground floor, stables for 30 horses were built. In 1714/15, he built for his son, Count Johann Friedrich II, who would be prince of Hohenlohe- Neuenstein-Öhringen from 1764, arcardes at the side facing the courtyard. Above the arcades, he constructed hallways and a mansard roof. In 1770/75, his heir, prince Ludwig Friedrich Karl, built the "Remisenbau” with a Rococo library and a flight of stairs in the palace yard at the western side. Around 1790, the landscape room was built, including wall paintings of the court painter of Öhringen, Johann Jacob Schillinger. 

In 1813/14, prince August II of Hohenlohe-Öhringen built the low classical construction to the northwest and a flight of stairs to the Hofgarten for the heir to the throne.

Besides the kitchen building and the upper tower, the “Blaue Saal” (blue hall) was also renovated in 1847 in a blend of Renaissance and early Baroque furnishing.

Following the acquisition of the palace and the Hofgarten by the town of Öhringen in 1961, extensive interior renovations were carried out from 1975 onwards for the town council. A new main stairwell was constructed in the Marstall-wing and old representation areas were renovated. 

Until 2009, the palace winery of the prince of Hohenlohe-Öhringen used the massive cellars and parts of the ground floor for the winery business.