The oldest parts of Neidenstein castle date back to the 13th century. It was first mentioned in 1319 as a fiefdom of Friedrich von Venningen. 1385 the castle was still an imperial fief of the lords of Venningen whose line Venningen-Neidenstein resided at the castle. Siegfried von Venningen († 1393) and Jobst of Venningen († 1410) were Grand Masters of the Teutonic Order, Hans von Venningen († 1478) was Bishop of Basel and Siegfried III of Venningen († 1459) was bishop of Speyer. The Venningen Neidenstein family line died out in 1611.
The castle was expanded with the outer bailey in the 16th century. The murals in the castle dates from 1516. The outer gate tower dates from 1569. In the end of the 18th century the castle started to decline. In the 1890s the roof of the western part collapsed which has since it been only a ruin. In 1897-1903 much of the castle complex was restored but also the top floor of the fortified tower was removed. Starting in 1960, the restoration of the castle was continued.
Neidenstein castle is today privately owned by the family of Venningen and can be visited only occasionally.
References:Rosenborg Palace was built in the period 1606-34 as Christian IV’s summerhouse just outside the ramparts of Copenhagen. Christian IV was very fond of the palace and often stayed at the castle when he resided in Copenhagen, and it was here that he died in 1648. After his death, the palace passed to his son King Frederik III, who together with his queen, Sophie Amalie, carried out several types of modernisation.
The last king who used the place as a residence was Frederik IV, and around 1720, Rosenborg was abandoned in favor of Frederiksborg Palace.Through the 1700s, considerable art treasures were collected at Rosenborg Castle, among other things items from the estates of deceased royalty and from Christiansborg after the fire there in 1794.
Soon the idea of a museum arose, and that was realised in 1833, which is The Royal Danish Collection’s official year of establishment.