However, it "only" belonged to a Staufer family of servants who worked at the nearby imperial castle on Hohenstaufen.
The castle - today known as Wäscherschloß - is 436 metres above sea level and lies approx. 2 km from Wäschenbeuren above the Beutental valley. From here you have a beautiful view of the Drei-Kaiserberge, the Hohenstaufen, the Rechberg, the Stuifen and other mountains of the Swabian Alb. As one of the oldest and best-preserved complexes from the Staufer period, Wäscherschloß is a picturesque example of Staufer castle construction in the wider area. Surrounded by a deep moat, the castle complex is 100 metres long and 75 metres wide. The rectangular palas with a 3 metre thick shield wall to the west is adjoined to the east by a trapezoidal courtyard, which is enclosed by a 2 metre thick and 10 metre high curtain wall. The palas is divided into cellar vaults, ground floor, 1st and 2nd upper floors, attic and attic.
Showrooms, guided tours, children's programmes and a variety of events relating to the Middle Ages offer a wide range of entertainment options, but there are also numerous forest trails to explore the surrounding area.
Opening hours:
- 1 MAY TO 31 OCTOBER: Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun, public holidays: 11:00 - 17:00
- 1 NOVEMBER TO 30 APRIL: closed
