Burg Entenburg: A Former Water Castle in Donaueschingen, Germany
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.8
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- Germany
- Primary era
- Medieval
- Eras represented
- Medieval, Modern
- Civilizations
- German, Holy Roman Empire
- Site type
- Domestic
- Remains
- Castle
On this page5 sections
History
Fürstenberg Hunting Lodge
Burg Entenburg is a former water castle in Germany, located in Pfohren, now part of Donaueschingen in Baden-Württemberg. The Fürstenberg family, a major aristocratic house of southwestern Germany, built it by 1471 as a hunting lodge for Count Heinrich VI of Fürstenberg. Its earliest recorded name was hus zu Pforren, meaning the house at Pfohren.
The name Entenburg is associated with Emperor Maximilian I, a Habsburg ruler who was king from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1508 to 1519. The chronicler Heinrich Hug attributed the name to Maximilian. During the emperor’s visit to Pfohren in 1510, a document issued there on 23 October referred to the residence as Entbourch. Tradition also holds that Maximilian stayed at the castle in 1516.
Changing Use and Restoration
In 1488, the Fürstenbergs acquired Donaueschingen from Barbara von Habsberg, and they later favored Donaueschingen Castle as a residence. Entenburg consequently changed function. In 1567 or 1568, it was converted into a tithe barn, a building for collecting and storing the share of agricultural produce owed to a religious or secular authority.
The castle was completely remodelled in 1871. It has been privately owned since 1986. Ralf and Anne Röver of Überlingen restored the building between 1987 and 1989 in close cooperation with the Freiburg monument authority, retaining its restored appearance. The property has also been used for art exhibitions and to house an antiquities collection.
A local legend says that Charles the Fat, a ninth-century Carolingian ruler and Holy Roman Emperor, died while hunting ducks in the marshes around Entenburg. According to the story, his night-time sound can still be heard as a “Schnufer” or “Schnaufer.” Historically, however, Charles the Fat died at Neudingen.
Remains
Square Castle Plan
Entenburg stands near the Danube in a built-up area at approximately 686 metres above sea level. It is described as a water castle with a square plan and four corner towers. The surrounding moat no longer survives, while the main building is preserved in restored condition and retains its overall appearance.
The form of the four towers remains uncertain. Depictions frequently show four separate towers, but it is disputed whether such freestanding structures ever existed in that arrangement. This question affects the interpretation of the castle’s historical appearance, which otherwise has been maintained through its restoration.
