The castle is located in the municipality of Zwingenberg in the state of Baden-Württemberg.

The spur castle was built on a hill spur in the triangle formed by the confluence of the steep Wolfschlucht gorge with the Neckar valley and lies about 50 metres above the river.

The castle was probably built in the 13th century by the Hohenstaufen ministerialis, William of Wimpfen.

A nephew of William of Wimpfen called himself von Zwingenberg.

Because the Zwingenbergs were robber knights, in 1363 they were driven from the castle and it was slighted in the name of the emperor.