Do you want to plunge into the atmosphere of the Middle Ages with jousting tournaments and bewitching castles or planning a trip to Germany, but don’t know what to see? We present to you a list of 10 medieval castles of this country, which over the years have practically not changed, presented to us in its original form.
1
Wartburg Castle
The construction of the castle began in the second half of the XI century, although its original appearance was significantly different from what we can see now. The first Wartburg castle, located in Thuringia, was wooden, it was of great political and military importance, as it often passed from hand to hand of various rulers.
In the XII century, a stone palace was built, which became one of the most important fortresses of the Holy Roman Empire. Heavily damaged by fire in the XIV century, Wartburg, although it was rebuilt, lost its former greatness by the beginning of the next century, faintly reminding itself of the times of the great rulers of the Ludingov dynasty.
Wartburg acquired its modern look in the 1800s, due to the work of famous German architects. The famous contest of singers took place here, as evidenced by the eponymous fresco decorating the castle interior. And also here about a year the German reformer Martin Luther was hiding. It was in Wartburg that the New Testament was translated by Luther into German. In the first half of the 13th century, Elizabeth of Thuringia, a Catholic saint from the Hungarian Arpad dynasty, lived in the castle. Since 1999, Wartburg has been protected by UNESCO.
2
Zatsvay Castle
The age of this castle is more than 600 years. It is located in Eifel, a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, near the former capital of Germany, Bonn. Zatsvay Castle boasts a rich history; since its founding in the 12th century, it has seen many rulers belonging to various influential families.
Remaining for a long time without reconstruction, the castle fell into decay, until the new owner decided to carry out its reconstruction in the 19th century. It clearly benefited Zatsvay, as the architects managed to restore the authentic appearance of the castle, giving it an interesting look inside.
Today Zatsvay is almost never empty. It belongs to private owners, conducting many festivals here, including St. Patrick's Day, detective performances on medieval themes and, of course, knightly tournaments. It was Zatsvai who hosted the first knightly tournament in Germany, reviving the tradition that locals and tourists loved so much.
3
Eltz Castle
Eltz Castle is washed by the river of the same name, surrounding it on three sides, and stands at a height of 70 meters. It is located in the Reynald-Palatinate and has a rich history that dates back to the 12th century. Eltz became the so-called Ganerburg, a castle owned by several families. It was divided between the three brothers who coexisted peacefully in the castle with their wives and personal servants.
In the fourteenth century, Eltz was first and last time involved in serious hostilities. Seniors of Eltz went into conflict with the archbishop of Trier, who made claims to the local lands. With the support of the elector (prince in the Holy Roman Empire), the archbishop besieged Eltz, eventually winning the battle. The Eltz family was forced to recognize the Trier invader as their lord.
Over the next centuries, Eltz was supplemented by numerous buildings, in particular the Rodendorf and Kempenich houses, which became the hallmark of the castle courtyard. Since the middle of the XIX century, a large-scale reconstruction began here, which, in terms of the current currency, cost about € 8 million. The work organized by Karl Eltsky was carried out with great skill, which allowed to keep the castle in its original form. Today, like 8 centuries ago, the castle is owned by a representative of the Elz dynasty. The owner himself does not live in the castle, giving it to the "mercantile" tourists.
From April to November, anyone can visit Eltz, ordering one of the many excursions. A special pride of the Elz family is the treasury, in which there are many valuable items, including jewelry, works of art and various objects of the Middle Ages.
4
Heidelberg castle
Unfortunately, now the castle in Heidelberg is in a dilapidated state, which does not prevent it from remaining one of the most picturesque buildings of medieval Germany. It was believed that it was built in the first half of XIII, however, documents found by historians suggest that there were two castles in Heidelberg: the upper and the lower. The lower one, about which we are talking, was built at the turn of the XIII-XIV centuries.
The castle has long been the main residence of the rulers of the Palatinate, until during the war the Augsburg League was destroyed by Louis XIV. Subsequent rulers of these lands considered Heidelberg Castle useless ruins until Charles de Gremberg visited it at the beginning of the 19th century. He fell in love with the castle so much that he decided to stay in Heidelberg, maintaining the state of a magnificent building.
At the initiative of the French count, a guide was printed that attracted the attention of tourists from everywhere. At different times, Heidelberg was visited by Victor Hugo and Mark Twain. The great American writer was delighted with the ruins, saying that they stand in an ideal place, producing a stunning effect with their terraces and wild thickets. Nature itself adorned the castle, not allowing it to remain in oblivion. Today, about a million tourists visit the castle every year, and one of Heidelberg's main attractions is the world's largest barrel of wine.
By the way, on our site most-beauty.ru there is an interesting article about the most popular medieval castles in France.
5
Marxburg
Another castle of the Reynald-Palatinate, which, unlike the Heidelberg castle, was not destroyed as a result of numerous wars for influence over the Palatinate territory. The first mention of Marxburg dates back to the beginning of the 13th century.
During its existence, the castle belonged to various owners and even was part of different states. The uniqueness of Marxburg is that it is the only castle in the lands of the upper middle Rhine, which failed to capture the armies of Louis XIV. This allowed the castle to preserve its unique architecture, although it did not save from cultural decline at the beginning of the 19th century. At that time, Marxburg was used as a prison and a boarding house for disabled wars and was part of the Duchy of Nassau.
Now Marxburg belongs to the German castle society, which acquired it at the very beginning of the 20th century. The condition of the building is carefully monitored and protected by every centimeter of the castle, which is included in the list of objects under the protection of UNESCO.
6
Milau Castle
This small castle is located in Saxony, one of the most beautiful castles in East Germany. It was built in the XII century during the capture of the eastern lands by Frederick I. Over the history of its existence, the castle passed into the hands of various rulers who used it as a defensive fortress and a starting point for military campaigns. Also in Milau, German settlers found protection, traveling to the East in search of a better life.
Milau achieved the greatest greatness during the reign of Charles IV. In 1400, part of the building was destroyed as a result of the war between Vaclav IV (the son of Karl) and the ruler of Vogtland. Sigismund, the brother of Wenceslas IV rebuilt Milau, erecting external walls to protect against sieges. In the 1920s, Sigismund granted the castle to the Elector of Saxony for the assistance provided during the Hussite Wars.
Later, the rulers of Thuringia owned the castle, making Milau suitable not only for defense, but also for life. Since the beginning of the XIX century, the castle began to be used as a factory premises. Now it is owned by the city authorities, and receives many tourists. Inside the building there is a tavern stylized as the Middle Ages, as well as a natural history museum.
7
Altena Castle
This medieval castle was built in the early years of the 12th century. It is located in Westphalia and is the main attraction of the city of Altena. Initially, the castle belonged to the Alten dynasty, however, after their decline, ownership passed from hand to hand until King Sigismund in the 15th century transferred it to the united dynasty Mark and Cleve. Altena Castle survived several wars and fires, becoming either the place of imprisonment of the Bishop of Münster (XIV century), or the military garrison (beginning of the XVII century), or even the home of the disabled (second half of the XVII century).
During the reign of Napoleon, the castle of Altena is given to court and prison. After several refusals in reconstruction, the dilapidated structure is nevertheless put in order at the beginning of the 20th century. An extraordinary event took place in the same period, rooms for budget accommodation were equipped inside the castle, which are considered the first hostel in the world.
Today, Altena Castle attracts tourists with its gloomy appearance. This is a monument of national importance. Inside you can find a museum, as well as the first rooms of the hostel. In addition, Alten's courtyard is equipped with new rooms that you can rent for the night.
8
Cochem Castle
Another castle of the Reynald-Palatinate, destroyed by the troops of Louis XIV. Like most castles in the area, Cochem was built in the 12th century, and was immediately elevated to imperial status. Later the castle passed into the possession of the South German kings of Hohenstaufen and repeatedly became the cause of discord between the ruling dynasty and the archbishops of Cologne. As already mentioned, Cochem was destroyed by Louis XIV during the Palatinate Succession War.
Since then, he stood in ruins, passing from one ruler to another, until he was acquired by Louis Ravenna. This Berliner decided to rebuild the castle, making it livable and remaking it in the Neo-Gothic style. Despite the fact that as a result of the reconstruction, most of the castle did not remain pristine, some parts of Cochem still resemble the structure of the 12th century.
Now the castle belongs to the municipality of Cochem, which uses it as the main attraction. Numerous tourists can admire the Gothic room, the dining room with carved furniture, the armory and, of course, the knight's hall.
9
Reinfels Castle
Also located in Reynald-Palatinate, the Rheinfels Castle was built in the 13th century by the Katsenelenbogen dynasty, which used it as a customs point and its residence. During its heyday, this Reinfels was the highest castle in the middle Rhine, however, the main tower did not survive to this day. After the Katsenelenbogenov family ceased to exist, a fierce struggle broke out between their distant relatives for the right to own Rainfels. The conflict ended with the signing of a peace agreement, according to which the castle was transferred into the possession of the landgrave of Hesse-Kassel.
Unlike many Palatinate castles, Reinfels was not captured by Louis XIV. Nevertheless, it was also destroyed by the French, capturing the castle during the Seven Years War. The final destruction occurred half a century later, during the French Revolution. Only at the beginning of the 19th century the castle became part of Prussia, after another 100 years passing into the possession of the municipality of St. Gore. Despite the two stages of restoration, Rainfels remains in ruins, as a silent example of human greed in the thirst for conquest.
Today, in the castle you can find a hotel, as well as a former wine cellar, converted into a concert hall. In the Reinfels Chapel there is a museum where tourists are presented with a mock castle in its original form.
You can continue to admire the most beautiful castles in the world on the site most-beauty.ru in this article.
10
Marburg Castle
Surely the city of Marburg, located in Hesse, recalls, first of all, about Lomonosov and the famous university, in which the famous scientist studied. But the main attraction of the city is Marburg Castle or Landgraf Castle, built 500 years earlier than the university. 200 years after the construction, the landgraves of Hesse left the castle, practically without using it as a residence. He finally lost his status after the Thirty Years War (XVII), becoming a haven for the military, and later completely converted into a prison.
In the first half of the 16th century, the Marburg Disputes took place in the castle, with the reformers Ulrich Zwingli and Martin Luther participating. The great reformers were accepted by the then ruler of the lands, Philip I the Magnanimous, who several years before had adopted Protestantism as his religion. Today there is a museum in the castle, in which you can learn in detail about the many battles that took place around Marburg. Around the magnificent structure is a picturesque park, along which tourists and residents of the city are walking.
Posted by: gunner1886