DEUTSCHLAND	GERMANY
Bundesland: Freistaat Bayern	Bavaria
Regierungsbezirk: Oberbayern
Landkreis: Neuburg-Schrobenhausen

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Neuburg an der Donau (official name: Neuburg a. d. Donau) is situated at an elevation of 380 m on the river Danube in northern Upper Bavaria. The oldest traces of a settlement at this place date from about 100 BC. In the 3rd century AD the Romans founded a small fort at this site. The dukes from the Agilolfing family followed the Romans around 400 AD. In 798 the place was first mentioned as Niwinburg (Neuburg, meaning 'new castle'), and in 1229 Neuburg was first mentioned as a town. Duke Ludwig VII "the Bearded" of Bavaria (Upper Bavaria-Ingolstadt) chose Neuburg as one of his residences in 1420. After the Landshut War of Succession, Neuburg became the residence of Pfalz-Neuburg in 1505. Beginning in 1522, the castle was enlarged in splendid Renaissance style under Count Palatine Ottheinrich, who converted to the Protestant faith. In 1556 Ottheinrich became Elector of the Palatinate (Pfalz) and from then on until his death in 1559 resided in Heidelberg. A number of important buildings in the town were erected under his successor Count Palatine Philipp Ludwig (1569–1614). Under Philipp Ludwig's son, Count Palatine Wolfgang Wilhelm, the splendid Renaissance and Baroque court church was completed as a Lady church. The last Count Palatine residing in Neuburg was Count Palatine and Elector Philipp Wilhelm (1653–1690). In 1742 Pfalz-Neuburg came to Pfalz-Sulzbach. When the Bavarian line of the Wittelsbach family became extinct in 1777, the line Pfalz-Sulzbach inherited their countries and united Bavaria and the Palatinate under Prince Karl Theodor of Bavaria who subsequently took his residence in Munich. From 1828 until after World War I Neuburg was a garrison town. Today, Neuburg is known as one of Bavaria's towns with the most beautiful historical town centres. It is the capital of the district Neuburg-Schrobenhausen and has a population of about 28,500.

The old residence castle [left, no. 1479: left] was built in 1530–1545 by Count Palatine Ottheinrich in early Renaissance style. The court chapel was the oldest protestant church of Bavaria. The Baroque east wing with the two dominant towers was added in 1665–1668 by Elector Philipp Wilhelm.

The court church [left, no. 1479: right] was built in 1607/1608 in late Renaissance style under Count Palatine Philipp Ludwig. Under his son, Wolfgang Wilhelm, who converted back to catholicism, the church was completed in Baroque style as a Lady church in 1627. In 1795 the castle became the dowager seat of Dowager Duchess Maria Amalia, widow of Duke Karl II August of Pfalz-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld. In 1824 the west wing was altered in Classicist style. After the death of Maria Amalia in 1831, the castle at first served as state archives of Swabia, and from 1868 was used as military barracks. After World War I the castle became the seat of various administrative offices. After several years of restorations, the east wing was reopened as a museum in 1987. In the meantime, the remaining parts have also been restored.