History of Dagstuhl Castle

Dagstuhl Castle was founded before 1290 by Knight Boemund of Saarbrücken probably at the instigation of Boemund, Archbishop of Trier. The name „Dagstuhl“ is said to derive from the roof-like shape of the hill (Dach is the German word for roof). After the lords of Dagstuhl died out the Rollingen, Crichingen, Fleckenstein and Brücken families inherited the castle in 1375 and it was subdivided into four so-called „kitchens“. Subsequently the castle was continuously extended and repaired. In 1562-72 the lords of Flersheim erected a large new building in the dilapidated main castle which was renovated in the 1580s and 90s.

In 1616-25 Philipp Christoph of Sötern came into possession of the coparcenary portions and carried out further alterations to the castle including the reconstruction of the old great hall. The counts of Öttingen-Baldern-Sötern undertook final extensive renovations shortly before 1700. From 1726 to 1759  the administrator, Wolf Anton of Langenmantel, systematically demolished the once proud castle which had meanwhile been repeatedly occupied by the French and reduced it to a misshapen heap of rubble. From that time on Dagstuhl Palace, which had been newly built in 1760-62, served as official residence.