The former residential palace of the mighty Teutonic Order founded as a Crusaders' order looks back on over eight hundred years of building history.
Following the return of the Crusades from far-away Jerusalem, the sovereigns of Hohenlohe presented the Teutonic Order with their castle as a gift in 1219. The Order then made this its seat and following the Reformation in 1525 it became the main residential palace of the Grand Masters and Masters of the Teutonic Order. The castle was expanded to a magnificent Renaissance palace. Extensive structural alterations in the 18th century gave the palace its current representative form. The Palace Church (Schlosskirche) was remodeled under the participation of Balthasar Neumann, and the sumptuous sovereign's apartment (Fürstenwohnung) and the Chapter Hall (Kapitelsaal) were built and the palace park was laid out anew.
Since 1996 the modern Museum of the Teutonic Order (Deutschordensmuseum) with an exhibition area of approximately 32,300 sq ft (3000 sqm) has been located here. The history of the Teutonic Order, from its beginnings in 1190 until today, is illustrated with texts, pictures and objects.
