Burg Hornberg is a partially ruined castle located on a steep outcrop above the Neckar

Neckar

The Neckar is a long river, mainly flowing through the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg, but also a short section through Hesse, in Germany. The Neckar is a major right tributary of the River Rhine...

 valley above the village Neckarzimmern

Neckarzimmern

Neckarzimmern is a town in the district of Neckar-Odenwald-Kreis, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neckarzimmern also was the main site of dispersal for the German Anti-Friction Bearings Industry during the Allied bombing of Germany. This site was chosen because an abandoned mine provided excellent...

, between Bad Wimpfen

Bad Wimpfen

Bad Wimpfen is an historic spa town in the district of Heilbronn in the Baden-Württemberg region of southern Germany. It lies north of the city of Heilbronn, on the river Neckar.-Geography:...

 and Mosbach

Mosbach

Mosbach is the capital of the Neckar-Odenwald district in the north of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about 58 km east of Heidelberg. Its geographical position is 49.21'N 9.9'E....

. It is the largest and oldest of the castles in the valley.

The original castle was built in the 11th century.
It is notable as the stronghold of Götz von Berlichingen

Götz von Berlichingen

Gottfried "Götz" von Berlichingen and also known as Götz of the Iron Hand, was a German Imperial Knight and mercenary....

who bought it in 1517, and who died there in 1562.
The castle was bought by Reinhard of Gemmingen in 1612 and remains in possession of the Gemmingen-Hornberg family today. It was uninhabited from 1738 and left to decay until 1825, when it was partially restored. It has housed a museum since 1968.