Lichtenstein Castle (Württemberg)
Lichtenstein Castle | |
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(German: Schloss Lichtenstein) | |
Arms of the Dukes of Urach | |
Lichtenstein Castle, circa 2010 | |
Schloss Lichtenstein Location in Baden-Württemberg | |
Etymology | Lichtenstein English: Bright, shiny stone[1] |
General information | |
Status | Rebuilt |
Type | Schloss |
Architectural style |
Gothic revival[2] Biedermeier |
Classification | Fairy tale Castle |
Location | Reutlingen, Baden-Württemberg |
Town or city | Honau |
Country | Germany |
Coordinates | 48°24′24″N 9°15′29″E / 48.40667°N 9.25806°ECoordinates: 48°24′24″N 9°15′29″E / 48.40667°N 9.25806°E |
Elevation | 817 metres (2,680 ft) (NN) |
Current tenants | Duke Wilhelm Albert von Urach |
Construction started | 1840 |
Completed | 1842[3] |
Inaugurated | 1842 |
Renovated | 1980, 1998–2002 |
Client | Duke Wilhelm of Urach |
Owner | Dukes of Urach |
Height | 817 metres (2,680 feet) |
Design and construction | |
Architect | Carl Alexander Heideloff |
Website | |
www |
Lichtenstein Castle (German: Schloss Lichtenstein), also known as the "Fairy tale castle of Württemberg,"[4] is an 1840s Biedermeier-style Gothic Revival castle built on a large rock situated in the Swabian Jura and overlooking the Echaz Valley near Honau, Reutlingen in the Tüblingen region of Baden-Württemberg, Germany.[2] Though a few structures have stood on this spot, the current edifice was built between 1840 and 1842.[5]
Geography
The castle is located on the Albtrauf of the Swabian Jura in the Reutlingen district at an altitude of 817 metres (2,680 feet) above sea level[6] and about 250 metres (820 feet) above the Echaz river, a small tributary of the Neckar river.[4] The ruins of Schloss Lichtenstein's medieval predecessor, Burg Alt-Lichtenstein (English: Old Lichtenstein castle), lie 500 metres (1,600 feet) away.[7]
History
Background
Since around 1100, a castle belonging to a family of Ministerials of the Counts of Alchalm, and later Counts of Württemberg, has been located on this part of the Albtrauf above the source of the river Echaz.[8] The castle and its denizens, the Lords of Lichtenstein, were not friends of the Free Imperial City of Reutlingen and were thus under frequent attack. The old castle was destroyed twice, once during the Reichskrieg of 1311 and again by the citizens of Reutlingen sometime between 1377 and 1381.[4] A new castle was built in 1390 some 500 metres (1,600 ft) from the ruins (now referred to as Burg Alt-Lichtenstein) on the site of the current structure, and was one of the most impressive fortifications of the Late Middle Ages.[4] Despite such features as early casemates that made it nearly unassailable, the castle ceased to be the ducal seat in 1567 and fell into disrepair.[4] During the Thirty Years War (1618–1648), it was taken over by the Tyrolean line of the Hapsburgs following the death of the last Lichtensteiner in 1687 during the Great Turkish War.[9] The coat of arms of their family, a pair of golden angel wings on a blue background, is still displayed in the Rittersaal (English: Knight's hall) of the castle.
In 1802, King Frederick I of Württemberg came into possession of the castle, dismantled it to its foundations and replaced it with a somewhat ungainly hunting lodge, or Forsthaus.[9]
Modern castle
In the wake of 19th Century Romanticism, medieval virtues like chivalry became increasingly popular among the elites. Parallel to this, medieval architecture, primarily Gothic style, returned to public attention in Germany with the unfinished Cologne Cathedral,[Note 1] leading to the rise of Gothic Revival architecture.[12] Other notable examples of this romantic infatuation with medieval structures and architecture from the greater region of Europe are the Votive Cathedral of Vienna and Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria. The propagation of this style and the turn back to supposedly ancient national traditions, went along with the spread of nationalism across Europe, creating a new cultural era in Europe.
In 1826, German poet and patriot Wilhelm Hauff published his book Lichtenstein, in which the castle, the book's namesake, played a major role.[13][14] Hauff's novel was inspired by the historical romances of Walter Scott, some of which Hauff reviewed and wrote a parody about.[15] King Frederick's cousin, Duke Wilhelm von Urach, a German patriot, who was very interested in medieval history, art, and architecture, was so inspired by the book that he purchased the estate — at that time merely another crumbling ruin in the Swabian Jura — from the King in 1837,[9] after negotiations for the purchase with the resident Oberförster Philipp Freiherr von Hügel and his successor Friedrich von Mandelsloh.[16]
Desiring an accurate emulation of a medieval castle to live in and house his substantial collection of medieval arts, arms, and armour, Duke Wilhelm recruited master architect and restorationist Carl Alexander Heideloff after turning down designs by Württemberg court painter Franz Seraph Stirnbrand and Christian Wilhelm von Faber du Faur - designs that differed substantially from today's structure.[8] Construction of the historic gothic revival Neues Schloss Lichtenstein (English: New Lichtenstein castle) began in 1840 and was managed by Johann Georg Rupp.[8] The new structure, its design heavily influenced by Count Wilhelm,[8] reused the ancient foundations of the castle of 1390, and stood up to three stories tall, with a curtain wall and courtyard to complete the castle complex. A barbican and a sprawling outer bailey, complete with corner bastions and turrets, was constructed in 1857.[9] Following this, the castle was then decorated within and without by Nuremberg painter and architect Georg Eberlein,[17] and two altar panels by an Austrian known as the "Master of Schloss Lichtenstein."[18] The castle was completed in 1842, and the King was present for its inauguration ceremony.[19] With the castle complete, it became the official residence of the Dukes of Urach in 1869.[9]
After the Revolution of 1848, then-Count Wilhelm became the First Duke of Urach. A passionate artillery officer, he desired to improve the defenses of his castle and so began to build pre-outwork caponiers in the style of the imperial Fortress of Ulm (though not on a scale as grand) and a trench along the fortress to deter attack. Later he had cannons placed in the bastions on the walls.[20] From 1898 to 1901 the two buildings left of the main gate, the "Fürstenbau" (German: Baronial building) and the old forester's house, were constructed and expanded respectively.[9] A motion to build a cableway up to the castle in 1911 was rejected because it was believed it would ruin the beauty of the castle.[8]
Restoration
The castle was damaged during World War II,[9] but efforts to restore the castle began in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War.[9] Once again, and thanks to local non-profit organizations like the Wüstenrot Foundation[21] and Community Fund for the Preservation of Lichtenstein Castle, the walls were restored in 1980, continued with the second floor in 1998, and were completed with the upper floor and roof in 2002.[4]
Still owned by the Dukes of Urach, the castle is open to the public via guided tour, although some rooms may not be entered. The courtyard is open to the general public, allowing the gun emplacements on the walls to be viewed.
Schlossherren
- 1837–1869: Wilhelm Graf von Württemberg, from 1867 Duke of Urach
- 1869–1928: Wilhelm Karl of Urach
- 1981–1991: Karl Anselm von Urach
- 1991: Wilhelm Albert von Urach
In popular culture
- Schloss Lichtenstein has appeared postage stamps in the past. In the 1940s, during the French occupation of Germany, authorities issued a series of stamps that included an 84-Reichspfennig stamp showing the castle, and the Deutsche Bundespost Berlin issued a 35-Pfennig stamp depicting the castle in 1982.[22]
- 1826: In Wilhelm Hauff's popular romantic novel, Lichtenstein, the original medieval castle is the namesake and primary locale of the story.[8]
- 2009: Lichtenstein was used for the filming of the German adaption of the original Grimm's Fairy tale, Dornröschen (English: Sleeping Beauty).[23]
- Lichtenstein Castle is the inspiration for Cammy's home stage in the arcade game, Super Street Fighter II.[24]
Recreations
In 1862, a castle was constructed in Lietzow, at Bergen auf Rügen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, that copied much from Lichtenstein castle.
The "Leckzapfen" vineyard house constructed at Osthofen in 1891 in Worms in the Rhenish Hesse is almost a miniature version of the main hall of Lichtenstein Castle.[25]
Reynier Fritz, a German-born Cape Town businessman well known in advertising circles, first saw the 19th-century Schloss Lichtenstein in the land of his ancestors and decided to one day replicate it in upon his return to Hout Bay, South Africa. He was able to start building in 1986 and 12 years later it was completed,[26] and he eventually turned it into a guest house before he died there.[27] Sometime after his death, his widow, Christine, sold it to an overseas buyer.[27] Although allegedly haunted,[27] the castle is considered one of the area's more popular attractions. In 2012, the castle was sold for 23 million Rand to a Russian business man.[26] While the business man himself remains yet unnamed, his wife's name is apparently Svetlana Besfamilnaya.[27]
- Lietzow
- Osthofen
See also
- The nearby Nebelhöhle (Fog Cave) are associated with the castle and also described in Hauff's novel.
- Neuschwanstein Castle – a 19th-century Romanesque revival castle in Germany
- Hohenzollern Castle – another example of 19th century romanticism inspiring the building of "medieval" castles
References
Notes
Citations
- ↑ "Meaning "light" or "sheen", "shine"". Woerterbuchnezt. Trier Center for Digital Humanities. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
- 1 2 "Facts and History of Lichtenstein Castle". Famous Castles.
- ↑ "Lichtenstein Castle: 7 Facts That Will Make You Want to Visit". Mountains and Monkeys.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "History and family". Schloss Lichtenstein. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
- ↑ "Travel to Lichtenstein Castle". hivino.travel. HiVino.
- ↑ "Walkabout". Schloss Lichtenstein.
- ↑ "Ruine Alt-Lichtenstein". gemeinde-lichtenstein.de. Municipality of Lichtenstein.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Geschichte des Schlosses Lichtenstein". Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Chronology". Schloss Lichtenstein.
- ↑ "Cathedral Building in the Middle Ages". Durham World Heritage Site.
- 1 2 Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Cologne Cathedral - UNESCO World Heritage Centre". whc.unesco.org. Retrieved 2016-02-11.
- ↑ The importance of the Cologne completion project in German-speaking lands has been explored by Michael J. Lewis, "The Politics of the German Gothic Revival: August Reichensperger".
- ↑ Lichtenstein by Wilhelm Hauff at Project Gutenberg
- ↑ DK Publishing, p. 301
- ↑ Stefan Knödler: "Heute geholt und morgen zurükgegeben" in: Archiv für Geschichte des Buchwesens, vol. 70, 2015, p. 260
- ↑ Negogiations for the purchase of the Forsthaus of 1802 inventory GU 20: Lichtenstein Castle: construction, use and management, 1. Background to the Castle building: purchase negotiations.
- ↑ Hartig, pp.98–106
- ↑ "Master of Schloss Lichtenstein". The Grove Encyclopedia of Northern Renaissance Art. Oxford Index.
- ↑ "Lichtenstein Castle". Triposo.
- ↑ Ottersbach, pp. 100–120
- ↑ "Sponsors + friends". Schloss Lichtenstein.
- ↑ "Schloss Lichtenstein, german stamp 1982". German-Stamps.org. 16 June 1982.
- ↑ "Burg Hohenzollern & Schloss Lichtenstein". Das Erste.
- ↑ Walden, Matthew. "15 Incredible Street Fighter Stages". Gamespot. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
- ↑ "Miniaturburg Leckzapfen".
- 1 2 "Hout Bay's famous castle sold for R23m". property24. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 "Spooky castle gets new owner". News 24.
Bibliography
- Bizer, Christoph (2006). Oberflächenfunde von Burgen der Schwäbischen Alb – Ein Beitrag zur Keramik- und Burgenforschung. Stuttgart: Konrad Theiss Verlag. pp. 108–111. ISBN 3-8062-2038-7.
- Feldhahn, Ulrich (2005). Schlösserreise Baden-Württemberg – ein Führer zu Burgen und Schlössern in Privatbesit. Petersberg: Micheal Imhof. ISBN 3-935590-63-6.
- Bidlingmeier, Rolf. Schloß Lichtenstein. Die Baugeschichte eines romantischen Symbols. pp. 113–152.
- Schmitt, Günter (1991). Burgenführer Schwäbische Alb, Band 4 – Alb Mitte-Nord: Wandern und entdecken zwischen Aichelberg und Reutlingen. pp. 315–332. ISBN 3-924489-58-0.
- Bizer, Christoph; Götz, Rolf (1989). Vergessene Burgen der Schwäbischen Alb. Stuttgart: DRW-Verlag. pp. 47–51. ISBN 3-87181-244-7.
- Dittscheid, Hans-Christoph; Osterkamp, Ernst; Polaschegg, Andrea; Schütz, Erhard (2005). Erfindung als Erinnerung. Burg Lichtenstein zwischen Hauffs poetischer Fiktion und Heideloffs künstlerischer Konkretisierung. Wilhelm Hauff oder Die Virtuosität der Einbildungskraft. Göttingen. pp. 263–298.
- Hartig, Sylvia (1999). Schloß Lichtenstein – ein Eigendenkmal des Grafen Wilhelm von Württemberg.
- Minzenmay, Albert. Schloß Lichtenstein. Hohenstein: D. Grimmer.
- Ottersbach, Christian (2007). Befestigte Schlossbauten im Deutschen Bund. Petersberg: Michael Imhof.
- Eyewitness Travel Guide to Germany. 95 Madison Avenue, New York, NY: Dorling Kindersley Publishing. August 6, 2001. ISBN 0-7894-6646-5.
- Campbell, Gordon (2009). The Grove Encyclopedia of Northern Renaissance Art. Oxford University. ISBN 978-0-19-533466-1.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lichtenstein Castle. |
Wikisource has original text related to this article: |
- (English) Castle website
- (German) Historical Württemberg
- (German) Wilhelm Hauff's Lichtenstein
- Reconstruction drawing by Wolfgang Braun
- Panaromic