Rotenberg

Rotenberg is an area within the Untertürkheim district of Stuttgart, Germany (about 6½ km east of the city centre). The area overlooks Untertürkheim and the Neckar valley and lies on the north and east slopes of the hill know as Württemberg (previously Wirtemberg). On this hill the first castle of the Counts of Württemberg was built in 1083 by Conrad of Beutelsbach who subsequently became Konrad I, Count of Württemberg and is considered the founder of the Württemberg dynasty.

The hill also gave its name to the State of Württemberg. The castle was rebuilt in 1316 by Count Eberhard I. However in about 1330 Eberhard built the "Old Castle" in what is now the centre of Stuttgart. The castle on Württemberg fell into disuse as a royal residence.

In 1534 the castle was rebuilt a third time by Duke Ulrich I who had been restored to the throne after entering exile in 1519.By 1819 the castle was in ruins. King William I of Württemberg (whose father, Frederick III, Duke of Württemberg became king in 1806) built Württemberg Mausoleum on the hill for his second wife Queen Catherine (1788-1819) (daughter of Tsar Paul I of Russia and Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg ). After his death in 1864, King William was also buried in the mausoleum (German: "Grabkapelle Württemberg"). Today the mausoleum is an important local landmark as it is visible from many areas of east Stuttgart.

Note: Rotenberg should not be confused with other towns with similar sounding names which are better known. 40 km SW is Rottenburg am Neckar, 80 km N is Rothenberg and 90 km NE Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

External links

* [http://www.wirtemberg.de/ut_32.htm Grabkapelle]