In 1534, the Württemberg sovereign, Duke Ulrich, took possession of Hirsau Monastery after the introduction of the Reformation.
The monks were then forced to leave the monastery.
A Protestant monastery school was established in 1556 by Duke Christoph, Duke Ulrich's son
In place of the medieval abbot's house, Duke Ludwig von Württemberg had a hunting lodge built by his court architect Georg Beer between 1589 and 1593 - adjacent to the cloister to the south. It was connected to it via a four-storey gate tower.
Georg Beer was responsible for the quality of the building's design. By employing many craftsmen from the Stuttgart residence, a high level of quality was also achieved in the execution of the work.
Heinrich Schickhardt (1558-1635), a pupil of Beer and his successor, supported the building project.
With its outward-facing, structured Renaissance façade, the three-winged complex lent the entire building complex a representative character.
It extended approximately 37 metres in a north-south direction and almost 76 metres in an east-west direction. In the almost square east wing
The representative rooms were probably located in the east wing. In this almost square building with its four tail gables, there was a cellar and a large hall with a fireplace.
According to contemporary reports, one floor was equipped with a swinging floor that swayed rhythmically during dancing.
The elongated south wing with stair tower served as a connecting building, of which only the walls of the ground floor remain.
In keeping with his rank, the duke used his castle as accommodation for spa holidays to Liebenzell, Bad Wildbad or Bad Teinach and for hunting trips.
The castle presumably also served as a refuge for the ducal family when the so-called "dying runs" broke out in Stuttgart. This referred to plague, cholera or other epidemics.
The princely rule in Hirsau lasted almost 100 years to the day (1592-1692), after which the castle and the neighbouring monastery were burnt down by French troops during the War of the Palatinate Succession.
Only sparse remains, such as architectural fragments and parts of a large fireplace, have survived from the once magnificent interior.
In 1740, the less destroyed west wing of the castle was converted into a granary.
Based on contemporary images, we know that the fire damage to the buildings could have been repaired with relatively little effort. But for one thing, Württemberg had been Protestant since 1535, so a Catholic monastery for men was no longer needed. Secondly, due to the constant wars and their consequences (30 Years' War, War of Succession), the state was neither able nor willing to maintain the properties, which were relatively insignificant for the well-being of the state. The administration released the ruins as a quarry for the population so that they could obtain cheap building materials.
It was not until the beginning of the 19th century that the cultural heritage was recognised and the monastery complex was placed under protection. Nature had already taken care of the castle ruins long before then.
An elm tree grew out of the walls, which the local poet Ludwig Uhland sang about in a poem. The tree was therefore also called the Uhland elm. Due to a fungal disease, it had to be felled on 10 March 1989, leaving only a 6 m stump as a memorial. However, this also had to be removed for safety reasons.
