The Laudenbach Renaissance castle was built in 1566 by Kunz Voit (Vogt) von Rieneck on a raised and walled mound of earth on the Main River. The Voit family were originally officials of the Counts of Rieneck, who over the centuries established themselves as lower nobility in the area around Laudenbach and Urspringen. As loyal followers of the Counts of Wertheim, they were long-time fiefs of important castle estates in Laudenbach.
The house stands on a massive vaulted cellar for wine storage. Striking architectural details include the polygonal stair tower and the two stepped gables. In the 17th century, this extraordinary and well-preserved house became the property of the Julius Hospital in Würzburg. Today, it is privately owned.
The construction of the castle was not without controversy.
For many years, there were disputes with the municipality of Laudenbach because Kunz Voit wanted to have the timber for his prestigious building felled from the municipal forest. It is a testament to the tenacity and pride of the Laudenbach farmers that they were able to defend their forest against the claims of the lesser aristocratic family. Kunz Voit had to build the castle with rafted timber at his own expense.
Source: Information board at the site