Hattenberg Castle Site
The castle was built in the 12th century by the Chamberlains of Kemnat. The Hohenstaufen dynasty had granted the family the sub-advocateship over the possessions of the Bishopric of Augsburg in this area.
The branch of the Kemnat family residing at Hattenberg subsequently took its name from the fortress. Several members of the family appear in contemporary documents from the 13th century.
However, the castle was devastated in 1297 during a feud between the lord of the castle, Heinrich von Hattenberg, and Bishop Wolfhard von Rohr. The Prince-Bishopric of Augsburg then acquired the associated rights of lordship.
Nevertheless, in 1304, the Hattenberg family was appointed Landvogt (governor) of Upper Swabia and city and district governor of Augsburg. Heavily indebted due to his military service in the army of Albrecht I of Austria, the nobleman attempted to improve his financial situation through several raids and highway robberies.
The citizens of Augsburg, together with the bishop and the cathedral chapter, sued the knight before King Albrecht in 1305. Shortly thereafter, the "robber knight" was stripped of his bailiwick over the bishop's estates.
The Hattenberg family line likely died out with Marquard von Hattenberg around 1370. The castle site had already been pledged by the Prince-Bishopric in 1365.
In 1641, the Augsburg Cathedral Chapter purchased the Lordship of Hattenberg. Around 1780, the castle's remaining walls were demolished to make way for the construction of the brewery in Ustersbach. Later, the conical shape of the main castle was partially removed by quarrying the conglomerate rock deposits found there.