Gutenberg Castle began as a medieval church and cemetery on a hilltop, and fortification started in the early 12th century. A ring wall formed a roughly circular keep, which was raised in the 12th century into the main tower. The castle sits on a free-standing rock 230 feet (70 m) tall. The article names no builder, architect or building materials for the early phases.
The Swabian War siege of 1499 led to extensive rebuilding around 1500 under Maximilian I. The castle passed to the House of Habsburg in 1314. The town bought it in 1824, and Princess Franziska of Liechtenstein bought it in 1854. Egon Rheinberger supervised a restoration from 1905 to 1912.
The Liechtenstein government bought it in 1979. It operates as a museum, and the bailey is free to visit year-round.
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