tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22365384133677906062024-03-13T04:52:27.586-07:00Lacey FalconeLacey Falconehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03818824629009067182noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236538413367790606.post-24623579511691862372018-02-11T09:23:00.002-08:002018-02-11T09:23:31.572-08:00Germany's Fairy Tale Castle<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w-JfCaKMlYg/WoB3_O0TcbI/AAAAAAAAAMU/dR_BrSlD46kM7d7ihhPWa5AXKm0NWuVjgCLcBGAs/s1600/360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w-JfCaKMlYg/WoB3_O0TcbI/AAAAAAAAAMU/dR_BrSlD46kM7d7ihhPWa5AXKm0NWuVjgCLcBGAs/s320/360.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neuschwanstein Castle, taken from the Marienbrücke</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b> </b>I have been loath to write about
this particular castle, but I think the time has come. There are an estimated 20,000
castles and castle ruins within Germany – and so many interesting ones that people
outside of Germany don’t know about. But, I would be remiss in having a blog
about German castles if I don’t mention the most iconic castle in Germany,
Neuschwanstein.</div>
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Neuschwanstein
was the dream castle built by the Bavarian king, Ludwig II. Ludwig was born in
August 1845 in Munich to King Maximilian II of Bavaria. Maximilian had acquired
the castle Hohenschwangau in the Bavarian Alps near Fussen. This site was the
seat of the legendary Swan Knights from the middle ages. He rebuilt
Hohenschwangau castle in 1832 in Gothic style, and had scenes of the famous
legends and stories of the middle ages painted in murals throughout the castle.
Ludwig grew up in the family castle at Hohenschwangau, and dreamed of the glory
of the middle ages that surrounded him.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In 1861,
Ludwig saw his first Richard Wagner opera in Munich, <i>Lohengrin</i>, which recounted one of the many stories of the Swan
Knights. He became enamored with Wagner’s music and operas.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qd64ekyd-6M/WoB4CltDXDI/AAAAAAAAAMg/frdc0KgWXqMcx8NdUnPnqBONhEoX6AzvgCLcBGAs/s1600/993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qd64ekyd-6M/WoB4CltDXDI/AAAAAAAAAMg/frdc0KgWXqMcx8NdUnPnqBONhEoX6AzvgCLcBGAs/s320/993.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neuschwanstein Castle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Upon the death of King Maximilian
in 1864, Ludwig II became King of Bavaria at the age of 18. Although he was
well-educated and well-read, he was not well-versed in the intricacies of
politics. A mere two years later, he was subjugated to the Prussian Empire and
was no longer a sovereign ruler. He became a constitutional monarch, answerable
to two houses of parliament in Bavaria. He withdrew from court, and many
believe he began living in his own little world. In
1864, the same year he became King of Bavaria, he also became a patron of
Richard Wagner.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On the 22<sup>nd</sup> of January,
1867, Ludwig was engaged to marry his cousin, Princess Sophie Charlotte of
Bavaria. Unfortunately, he was really in love with her sister, Empress
Elizabeth of Austria (Sissy). The marriage coach was built and commemorative
medals were minted. However, Ludwig dissolved his engagement on the 10<sup>th</sup>
of October of the same year. From that point forward, he never again thought of
marriage.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-90FVdpi4B5g/WoB3_lj09TI/AAAAAAAAAMY/c0u5tBUWy3EZoI3WRzsOXyZR52uaDXwnwCEwYBhgL/s1600/989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-90FVdpi4B5g/WoB3_lj09TI/AAAAAAAAAMY/c0u5tBUWy3EZoI3WRzsOXyZR52uaDXwnwCEwYBhgL/s320/989.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neuschwanstein Castle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Ludwig visited Wartburg castle in
Thuringia in 1867, and Wartburg became the inspiration for Neuschwanstein
(translated as “New Swan Stone”). He built Neuschwanstein near his childhood
home at Hohenschwangau in the place of two Swan Knight castle ruins –
Vorschwangau and Hinterschwangau. Neuschwanstein was built in neo-Romanesque
style, harkening back to a medieval castle style. Construction began in 1869,
but the castle was never completed. He envisioned that Neuschwanstein would be
the new center for the Order of the Swan Knights (according to some legends,
the keepers of the Holy Grail), and he envisioned himself to be the Grand
Master. The pictures and art in his castle were inspired by the medieval
legends in Wagner’s operas. Richard Wagner died in Venice in 1886, never having
seen Neuschwanstein. Ludwig moved into the incomplete Neuschwanstein the same
year and holed himself up there. He lived there a total of 172 days.</div>
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Ludwig was
seen as eccentric in his day, and was renowned for his eccentricities much like
Michael Jackson is today. He was an insomniac, and spent his nights wandering
the castle, while sleeping his days away. He loved solitude, dreaming, art and
history. He had his castle outfitted
with the latest inventions of the industrial revolution, such as electricity.
Although heavily in debt, he continued to build his castle. Many felt he was
using too much of Bavaria’s money on what they considered to be his folly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IbPswSsmNyc/WoB4BKiJW-I/AAAAAAAAAMc/fqPktpeUnho4fd6XWSqk8Tx_GAEhwQPmwCEwYBhgL/s1600/1869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IbPswSsmNyc/WoB4BKiJW-I/AAAAAAAAAMc/fqPktpeUnho4fd6XWSqk8Tx_GAEhwQPmwCEwYBhgL/s320/1869.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Hohenschwangau, taken from Neuschwanstein</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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While he
was holed up in Neuschwanstein, scheming Bavarian ministers succeeded in taking
over his power. They arrested him at Neuschwanstein for lunacy and put him in
the Berg castle on the bank of Lake Sternberg. On the very next day after his
arrest, on 13 June 1886, the King’s body was found in the lake. The body of the
King’s doctor, Dr von Gudden (who had declared him insane and unfit to rule the
day previous, without any examination) was found nearby. The King was an
excellent swimmer, and his body was found in a very shallow part of the lake.
Many conspiracy theories surround this incident. The official verdict was that
the King killed Dr von Gudden and then committed suicide.</div>
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Before the construction of
Disneyland, Walt Disney and his wife Lillian took a European tour. A Disneyland
representative confirms that the time he spent at Neuschwanstein Castle was the
inspiration behind Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Castle. Neuschwanstein features
prominently in the 1968 movie, <i>Chitty
Chitty Bang Bang, </i>starring Dick van Dyke and the 2014 movie, <i>Monument’s Men</i>, by George Clooney, among many others.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YX_ZEtuaA48/WoB3nzq3AdI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/1x6ce1X-r5QSX8xaE_qI6HLVyqLHzFXKgCLcBGAs/s1600/disneyland-sleeping-beauty-castle-2560x1600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YX_ZEtuaA48/WoB3nzq3AdI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/1x6ce1X-r5QSX8xaE_qI6HLVyqLHzFXKgCLcBGAs/s320/disneyland-sleeping-beauty-castle-2560x1600.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p>Lacey Falconehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03818824629009067182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236538413367790606.post-11413961554968062202016-05-13T01:02:00.000-07:002016-05-13T01:02:23.021-07:00A LIttle Joust, Anyone? Burg Satzvey
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PaHiZA8Mu-s/VzWFUG3UNII/AAAAAAAAAKY/5tjN4Uo7OrMd-8zJ5OuXxnkExiTxXjjAACLcB/s1600/Satzvey1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PaHiZA8Mu-s/VzWFUG3UNII/AAAAAAAAAKY/5tjN4Uo7OrMd-8zJ5OuXxnkExiTxXjjAACLcB/s400/Satzvey1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burg Satzvey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Last year, I enjoyed a day at Burg
Satzvey at their Knights Fest--basically a medieval fest with a jousting
tournament. It was a fabulous day, with the standard medieval festival but an
extra-special jousting tournament.<o:p></o:p><br />
First, about Burg Satzvey. It is a
delightfully cute castle just south of Cologne. It is one of the few moated
castles in Germany. Most castles in Germany were built on the top of mountains,
and did not have moats. Of course, the moat serves a defensive purpose for the
castle so for castles that are not on top of mountains, such as Burg Satzvey, they
were essential. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Satzvey was first mentioned in 1368
as an estate of Otto von Vey Vogt, who was a vassal of the Archbishop of
Cologne. His grandson, Heinrich von Krauthausen built Burg Satzvey from 1396 to
1406 on an island in the middle of the Veybach pond.<br />
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</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hymAKrNvxEc/VzWGCttk2UI/AAAAAAAAAKo/msDqyAA3liYyeQTfLQmY28SUiwVP4iPAwCLcB/s1600/Satzvey61.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hymAKrNvxEc/VzWGCttk2UI/AAAAAAAAAKo/msDqyAA3liYyeQTfLQmY28SUiwVP4iPAwCLcB/s320/Satzvey61.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knights of Satzvey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In 1561, Heinrich Spies von Büllesheim
acquired the castle. In 1574, his son, Frederick William became the first
feudal lord of Satzvey. From 1577 to 1581, the Duke von Jülich and his troops
occupied the castle, until Spies von Büllesheim and von Jülich had to swear
their allegiance to the Archbishop of Cologne.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
In 1737, the castle was sold to the
von Gymnich family. With the death of Johanna Maria von Gymnich in 1825, the
von Gymnich line became extinct and her godson, Count Max Felix Wolff von
Metternich inherited the von Gymnich possessions to include Burg Satzvey and
eight other castles. His son, Dietrich, expanded the castle in 1878 to make it
what it is today.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
In 1944, the Countess Adeline Wolff
von Metternich married Count Franz Josef Beissel von Gymnich (the current
Count’s father). In 1981, they began having medieval and other festivals at the
castle.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Now, I can’t discuss Burg Satzvey
without mentioning the impressive Countess Jeannette Beissel of Gymnich. She is
an American! She is the daughter of U.S. diplomat John A. Brogan and spent her
childhood in the U.S., South America and Europe. She studied languages and
literature in the U.S. and in France. She fell in love with current Count Franz
Josef Beissel von Gymnich and, in 1984, married him. They have two children.<br />
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</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8cFww7sYWTk/VzWGPOOXpHI/AAAAAAAAAKw/dn9peA3vctgVavxDaUkHVBegTDWSI8s2ACKgB/s1600/SetWidth380-Beissel-0034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8cFww7sYWTk/VzWGPOOXpHI/AAAAAAAAAKw/dn9peA3vctgVavxDaUkHVBegTDWSI8s2ACKgB/s320/SetWidth380-Beissel-0034.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Countess and Count Beissel von Gymnich (used with permission)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Since becoming a Countess, she has
made an effort to make a positive impact on everything she touches. Castles are
very expensive and difficult to maintain. She and the Count have made the
castle a viable business enterprise by expanding the festivals and events that
the castle holds, incorporating stores and restaurants into the castle,
establishing rooms in the castle where guests can stay overnight, hosting
medieval dinners and a ‘knights school’, and providing wedding services, among
other things. She has become an advisor to other castle owners on how they can
build businesses surrounding their castles.<o:p></o:p>
<br />
She is also an author. In addition
to writing a historical novel, she has written four or five coffee-table type
books about castles and the people who live in them. They are all in German.
She has a new book coming out soon.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
She has been featured on German
television a number of times. In addition to interviews and the standard things
you would expect a countess to do, she also has participated in the German
version of the television show “Wife Swap”. Can you imagine switching places
with a countess and getting to live in a castle as the countess for two weeks?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How fun is that?<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
The Countess has also established a
foundation which helps children and adolescents who have been the victims of
abuse, violence or neglect. Her foundation has established homes for these
victims and provides for the special needs of these victims, such as various therapies,
wheelchairs, special beds, etc.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rk1jxBTsgOM/VzWF6z2uuOI/AAAAAAAAAK4/edToe3T5Wh0lbrUKCIaUgqE9jtd1879iwCKgB/s1600/Satzvey20.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rk1jxBTsgOM/VzWF6z2uuOI/AAAAAAAAAK4/edToe3T5Wh0lbrUKCIaUgqE9jtd1879iwCKgB/s320/Satzvey20.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knights of Satzvey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Their children have now taken an
active role in the administration of the castle and the foundation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The daughter of the Count and Countess, the
Countess Patricia Beissel von Gymnich, has now taken on the responsibility of
running the events that are held at the castle. And, she is doing a rather fine
job of it. </div>
<br />
I mentioned earlier the jousting
tournaments at Satzvey, which the Countess Patricia not only organizes but also
participates in. They are truly something spectacular to see. The Satzvey
jousting tournaments are basically full-blown theatrical plays, which end with
the “good guys” and “bad guys” dueling it out in a joust. <br />
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</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f6EcpjIzLOY/VzWF6_PIhTI/AAAAAAAAAK4/BxX5-iPOY_0w9ZN66xEIgaCtbtCPCi46wCKgB/s1600/Satzvey5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f6EcpjIzLOY/VzWF6_PIhTI/AAAAAAAAAK4/BxX5-iPOY_0w9ZN66xEIgaCtbtCPCi46wCKgB/s320/Satzvey5.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jousting Tournament</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Even if you don’t
understand German, you can follow along with the plot of the play and
understand most of what is going on. The jousters and the young Countess are
accomplished equestrians, and stuntmen and stuntwomen. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qhDcRQ0uza0/VzWGR5hYqnI/AAAAAAAAAK0/vfrVRdVNwUsx_AVyGiA1gJy2-OxbaChCwCKgB/s1600/Satzvey87.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qhDcRQ0uza0/VzWGR5hYqnI/AAAAAAAAAK0/vfrVRdVNwUsx_AVyGiA1gJy2-OxbaChCwCKgB/s320/Satzvey87.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jousting Tournament</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Many have worked on
Hollywood films and they bring this expertise to the jousting field. It is
definitely worth the time to go to the Satzvey Knight’s Fest and enjoy the
jousting tournaments. They are held every May and September, and this spring it
will be the weekend of 14-16 May 2016 and in the fall on the weekends of 3-4 Sep
and 10-11 Sep 2016.<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
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<o:p></o:p> </div>
Lacey Falconehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03818824629009067182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236538413367790606.post-29633016303941083192014-09-04T07:20:00.001-07:002014-09-04T07:20:09.422-07:00Reichsburg Castle in Cochem – Sleeping Beauty’s domain?
<br />
One of the more charming castles
along the Mosel River is Reichsburg Castle in Cochem. Some have dubbed it
“Sleeping Beauty’s” castle because of its picturesque appeal. And the town that
supports it, Cochem, readily boasts its own charm. In the heart of the Mosel
wine region, Cochem’s cobbled streets, abundant shopping, marvelous castle and
fantastic restaurants with views overlooking the river attract tourists from all
over the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, Reichsburg’s
history has elements which aren’t quite so charming.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p3rhNcah-C4/VAhtBgvEcQI/AAAAAAAAAI8/BQm4rzaTJw4/s1600/CIMG2410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p3rhNcah-C4/VAhtBgvEcQI/AAAAAAAAAI8/BQm4rzaTJw4/s1600/CIMG2410.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reichsburg Castle, Cochem</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Cochem itself has been settled for
quite a long time. Remnants of the Bronze Age, Celtic colonization, Roman
occupation and Franconian-Carolingian settlement have all been found in and
around Cochem. The castle itself dates back to the early 11<sup>th</sup>
century, when it was held by the Counts Palatinate.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
There is a rather gruesome account
from the year 1060, with the Count Henry I “the Furious”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Henry had been at war with Archbishop Anno II
of Cologne, and had suffered a major defeat there. He returned to Cochem castle
and whether in a fit of jealous rage, or a fit of insanity, he beheaded his
wife with his battleaxe in their bedroom. He was then fettered by his men and
brought to Echternach Abbey as a prisoner, where he died in 1061.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RgsL_JuO8wk/VAhu7f3AHZI/AAAAAAAAAJc/j-HGddM7U7c/s1600/CIMG2478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RgsL_JuO8wk/VAhu7f3AHZI/AAAAAAAAAJc/j-HGddM7U7c/s1600/CIMG2478.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Medieval Dinner at Reichsburg</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Successive ownership of the castle
was passed through other Counts Palatinate. Count Wilhelm von Ballenstädt
resided in Cochem and, childless, proceeded to give large sums of money away to
surrounding Abbeys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1130, he exempted
ships from the various Abbeys from paying tolls at Cochem. The Holy Roman Emperor
of the German Nations, Conrad III, saw his power waning in Cochem and when
Wilhem died, he confiscated the castle. In 1150, during the rivalry for the
palatinate, Count Hermann von Stahleck conquered Cochem, which his rival had been
using as a military base. Emperor Conrad III put an end to the disputes, and
unexpectedly moved to the castle at Cochem and brought the surrounding imperial
lands under his control.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yM8_tYyE2Xs/VAhul6sDF6I/AAAAAAAAAJU/duIlL6R3qVw/s1600/CIMG4545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yM8_tYyE2Xs/VAhul6sDF6I/AAAAAAAAAJU/duIlL6R3qVw/s1600/CIMG4545.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hexenturm with original Medieval plaster</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
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This was how Reichsburg got its
name. Reichsburg means “Imperial Castle”, and this designation has carried on
through history well beyond Emperor Conrad’s reign. It retained its status as
an imperial castle until 1294. At this time, the newly-elected Emperor Adolph
von Nassau pledged the town of Cochem, the castle at Cochem, and the
surrounding imperial property of nearly 50 villages to the Archbishop of Trier
in order to pay for his imperial coronation and election promises.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The castle thus fell under the
administration of the Archbishops of Trier. Most of Germany’s castles were
damaged or destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War, and Cochem was no exception.
However, the damage sustained at Cochem was repaired soon after that conflict.
It was later in the Wars of the Palatine Succession when the troops of King
Louis XIV of France (called the “Sun King”) proceeded to destroy the castle. It
was first bombarded in 1673. In 1688, French troops occupied the castle and
town. In 1689, they set the castle on fire and blew it up. The castle burned
for 3 days.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The castle ruins at Cochem became
property of the Prussian State in 1816. It was bought by Jakob Louis Frederik
Ravene in 1868 for only 300 Gold Marks. He proceeded to renovate it for 9
years. His family then possessed and lived in it for 75 years. It was bought by
the Third Reich in 1943. In 1978, it was turned over to the town of Cochem for
the sum of 664,000 Deutsch Marks.</div>
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</div>
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<o:p></o:p> </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PzNb-QGCZMA/VAhtV-IOw5I/AAAAAAAAAJE/tfjRFX_GgTI/s1600/CIMG2432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PzNb-QGCZMA/VAhtV-IOw5I/AAAAAAAAAJE/tfjRFX_GgTI/s1600/CIMG2432.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image currently painted on Reichsburg's plaster</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The town of Cochem has opened up
the castle for tourists. It is well-renovated, and still contains many of the
features installed by the Ravene family. The Ravene family used a copperplate
picture of the castle from 1576 as the model to renovate it in the Late Gothic
style. One interesting architectural point that I learned when I visited this
castle was that, in the Middle Ages, these stone castles were actually
plastered over and painted bright colors. This is shown by the remains the
original Hexenturm tower that survived destruction through the ages, complete
with its medieval plaster. I had always assumed that these castles were stone
structures with no outer decoration in their heyday. I was wrong.</div>
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</div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The castle houses birds of prey,
and provides a demonstration several times daily. Medieval dinners are held for
groups of tourists in the castle “basement”. One nice bonus for tourists who
visit this castle is that tourists are allowed take pictures inside (many
castles don’t permit inside photos). It is definitely a castle worth visiting.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kzMozDqaKkk/VAhuUvE61CI/AAAAAAAAAJM/SQbnz7-0zXI/s1600/CIMG4516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kzMozDqaKkk/VAhuUvE61CI/AAAAAAAAAJM/SQbnz7-0zXI/s1600/CIMG4516.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birds of Prey demonstration</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Lacey Falconehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03818824629009067182noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236538413367790606.post-16424039094046281012014-01-31T21:45:00.000-08:002014-01-31T21:45:51.206-08:00Sans Souci – Burg or Schloss?
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Today, I
would like to highlight a different kind of German castle than the ones that I’ve
discussed previously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am going to
focus on the castle Sans Souci in Potsdam, near Berlin.</div>
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wfkuY62B_Cc/UuyC8MGz0qI/AAAAAAAAAHI/WWW_FCegCgk/s1600/Castle+Sans+Souci+Garden.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wfkuY62B_Cc/UuyC8MGz0qI/AAAAAAAAAHI/WWW_FCegCgk/s1600/Castle+Sans+Souci+Garden.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></b>Sans Souci was built in 1747 as
the summer palace of Frederick the Great of Prussia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> "</span>Sans Souci" is a French phrase which means “without
concerns” or “carefree”, and this castle was used by Frederick to relax and get
away from the stress of the court in Berlin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was built in the Rococo style, and is often compared with the larger Baroque
palace at Versailles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frederick
considered himself a patron of the arts and often entertained his friend,
Voltaire, at Sans Souci.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In the 19<sup>th</sup>
century, Sans Souci became the residence of Prussian Frederick William IV.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He proceeded to enlarge the castle and
improve the grounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1918, the
Hohenzollern Prussian royalty left Potsdam for Holland, where they lived in
exile when the Weimar Republic came into power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later, after World War II, the castle fell under the control of the East
German government and became a tourist attraction for the Eastern Bloc.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In 1990, after
the reunification of Germany, Sans Souci became a World Heritage Site, and currently
falls under the protection of UNESCO.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
castle is quite impressive and the gardens are extensive and truly spectacular—definitely
worth a visit.</div>
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZTUqnqLflV4/UuyDe85adCI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/HTRNFKWiZMI/s1600/Castle+Sans+Souci+Gardens.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZTUqnqLflV4/UuyDe85adCI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/HTRNFKWiZMI/s1600/Castle+Sans+Souci+Gardens.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Now, for a
quick lesson in German terminology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
you might recall from your history classes, the castles of Europe really began
to be built in earnest in the Middle Ages, around the 11<sup>th</sup>
century.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The “knight” class emerged with the feudal system. These knights were the warriors of society.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They fought for their kings, they fought in
the Crusades, and they fought for their own territories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the beginning, these knights built their
castles as defensive structures – often on top of mountains (in Germany, at
least) or with moats surrounding them, and with thick walls made of stone with
tall towers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As time
moved forward, this class of knights became wealthier, and their focus shifted
from being concerned about security to being concerned about demonstrating
their wealth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This shift in philosophy occurred starting around
the time of the Renaissance.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In English,
we call all types of old large, residential structures of knights “castles”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the Germans distinguish between
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The older, Medieval, defensive
castles in Germany are called “Burg”s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The newer, Renaissance-style wealthy castles in Germany are called “Schloss”s
(I think of these more like palaces, or manor houses).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, Sans Souci is a Schloss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other castles I have highlighted thus far
in this blog have been Burgs.</div>
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t7DUCGTEWE8/UuyEFHoLejI/AAAAAAAAAHY/0x7WyKtjjrk/s1600/Castle+Sans+Souci+Fountain1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t7DUCGTEWE8/UuyEFHoLejI/AAAAAAAAAHY/0x7WyKtjjrk/s1600/Castle+Sans+Souci+Fountain1.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<o:p></o:p> </div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>An
interesting side note – the famous German castle, Neuschwanstein, which is the
castle that Disney’s castle is modeled after – is actually a Schloss, but it is
built in a Burg style.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Which type of castle is more interesting to you –
the older Burg, or the newer Schloss?</span>Lacey Falconehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03818824629009067182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236538413367790606.post-35067701940408669172013-06-14T06:01:00.000-07:002013-06-14T06:01:36.045-07:00Burg Eltz - Castle Intact
One cannot talk about German castles without discussing Burg Eltz.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Burg Eltz is one of the very few castles in Germany that wasn’t damaged or destroyed during the Thirty Years’War, or subsequent wars that ravaged Germany.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is attributed to the Eltz Counts having strong relationships with their allies, who have helped them in times of need.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h8IJIQ5PnmM/UbsMRBklgmI/AAAAAAAAAFY/GSQXO3UFil4/s1600/CIMG4322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h8IJIQ5PnmM/UbsMRBklgmI/AAAAAAAAAFY/GSQXO3UFil4/s320/CIMG4322.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burg Eltz</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<br />
Burg Eltz was first mentioned in 1157 AD, when Frederick I
(Barbarossa) commissioned Count Rudolf von Eltz to protect the trade routes
between the Maifeld plateau and the Moselle river.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
In 1268, the Eltz family split into three branches, and the
castle complex was split into three houses to accommodate each family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Eltz-Rodendorf line was characterized by
a silver lion on the coat of arms, the Eltz-Kempenich line was characterized by
a golden lion on the coat of arms, and the Eltz-Rübenach line was characterized
by buffalo horns on their coat of arms.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9ims_7qK9hM/UbsNNz_avvI/AAAAAAAAAFs/urkcZMADCOE/s1600/CIMG4356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9ims_7qK9hM/UbsNNz_avvI/AAAAAAAAAFs/urkcZMADCOE/s320/CIMG4356.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trutz-Eltz</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The most significant military offensive against Burg Eltz
came in 1331 when Balduin of Luxembourg, the Archbishop of Trier, decided that
he wanted the land that the Eltz Counts owned. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, he built a tower, called Trutz-Eltz
(translates to mean “spite-Eltz) on a hill above Burg Eltz and proceeded to
bombard the castle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The local allies of
the Eltz Counts assisted them as much as they could, but after two years of the
castle being seiged, the Eltz Counts sued for peace and swore fealty to the
Archbishop (they had previously been vassals of the Emperor).<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />
In the 18<sup>th</sup> Century, the Eltz-Rübenach line
became extinct.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1815, the
Eltz-Rodendorf line sold their interest in the castle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The current owner is Count Karl von
Eltz-Kempenich of the golden lion line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He is the 33<sup>rd</sup> generation of Eltz counts and is a
doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He and his family still
occasionally reside in the castle.<o:p></o:p><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jqJto2rc1OY/UbsOzOSOOsI/AAAAAAAAAF4/6isSVpxwwh0/s1600/CIMG4337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jqJto2rc1OY/UbsOzOSOOsI/AAAAAAAAAF4/6isSVpxwwh0/s320/CIMG4337.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knight's armor from the armory/treasury</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
The Eltz family has opened some of their rooms up to
tourists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have taken great pains to
furnish and decorate the rooms in the style of the Middle Ages, and many of the
items in the rooms are original to the houses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unfortunately, photos aren’t allowed inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the more interesting items is a
Renaissance-style painted bed from 1525 in the Countesses’s bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the oldest bed of its type in Germany.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is also a breastplate and battleaxe in the
Countesses’s bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This belongs to
the castle’s resident ghost, Agnes, who, as the story goes, died defending the
castle and her honor from an undesirable suitor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is definitely someone I want to research
further…<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The castle also houses an armory and treasury,
with artifacts that the Eltz family has held for years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tourists are allowed to go through this
museum-style set of rooms and take pictures (no flash).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are some truly beautiful pieces that document
Eltz family history. If you ever come to the western part Germany, Burg Eltz should definitely be on your list as a 'must see'.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v5sI9UPQSHg/UbsPphJ8zhI/AAAAAAAAAGE/mAhZdk6fmbg/s1600/CIMG4361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v5sI9UPQSHg/UbsPphJ8zhI/AAAAAAAAAGE/mAhZdk6fmbg/s320/CIMG4361.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burg Eltz</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Lacey Falconehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03818824629009067182noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236538413367790606.post-48939357326452746482012-10-22T03:20:00.001-07:002012-10-22T03:20:50.527-07:00Frankenstein’s castle – or should I say castles?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nnwf4zUJFTQ/UIUKqvrXApI/AAAAAAAAADY/c9e87nX3AyM/s1600/Frankenstein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nnwf4zUJFTQ/UIUKqvrXApI/AAAAAAAAADY/c9e87nX3AyM/s1600/Frankenstein.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boris Karloff as Frankenstein's monster <br />
in <em>Frankenstein</em> (1931)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We all know the story of Victor Frankenstein and the monster
he created, thanks to Mary Shelley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mary
was vacationing in Geneva, Switzerland in 1816 with her then-fiance, poet Percy
Bysshe Shelley, her step-sister Clara Mary Jane Clairmont (who was pregnant
with Lord Byron’s child), Lord Byron and Doctor John William Polidori.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the coldest summer on record, and it
was very rainy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In order to pass the
time, Lord Byron challenged the group to each write a ghost story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mary Shelley had a nightmare that night,
which inspired the story of Frankenstein.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After edits by Percy Bysshe Shelley, Mary published it in 1818.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iZVIreS7Qb4/UIULuv_eLcI/AAAAAAAAADg/BRuIJreSayA/s1600/CIMG4292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iZVIreS7Qb4/UIULuv_eLcI/AAAAAAAAADg/BRuIJreSayA/s320/CIMG4292.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tower at Frankenstein castle near Darmstadt</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I can’t go any further without discussing the name
“Frankenstein” first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It literally means
“Frankish Stone”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we all know from
our history, the Franks were a prominent Germanic tribe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were united under Charlemagne, and
Charlemagne proceeded to conquer other German tribes and establish a large
kingdom. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kingdom was later divided
among his grandsons at the Treaty of Verdun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This division became the basis for the countries of Germany and France,
as we know them today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, France
is named after the Franks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, within
Germany, you still find many references to the Franks.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that I found not one, but
two, Frankenstein castles!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also found
another town called Frankenstein out by Dresden, but I don’t believe there’s a
castle there.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frankenstein Castle near Darmstadt</td></tr>
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The first castle, near Darmstadt, claims a loose affiliation
with Mary Shelley, as she took a cruise down the Rhine a few years before she
went to Geneva – and it is fairly near the Rhine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, there was an alchemist named Johann
Konrad Dippel who was born at the castle in 1673, and there have been claims
that he had influenced Mary Shelley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because
of this affiliation, they hold a huge Halloween celebration every year –
decorate the castle and have actors play different scary beings – almost a
“haunted house” concept.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This goes for a
few weeks before and after Halloween.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have not been, but I do plan on going this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, as far as the affiliation with Shelley –
maybe, maybe not – but, why not claim it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These castles cost a lot of money to maintain, and if they can
capitalize on something like this to help maintain the castle, I say go for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People who have gone to the Halloween
celebration tell me that it’s a lot of fun, too.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SygRoH7_jI0/UIUaMGLZ_GI/AAAAAAAAAE0/ags8j2cbhZE/s1600/086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SygRoH7_jI0/UIUaMGLZ_GI/AAAAAAAAAE0/ags8j2cbhZE/s320/086.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another Tower at Frankenstein castle near Darmstadt</td></tr>
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As far as the real history of the castle goes, Lord Konrad
Reiz von Breuberg built the castle sometime before 1250, and named himself
Frankenstein.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had other holdings in
the region, and was a vassal of the emperor. In 1292, the Frankenstein’s
aligned themselves with the Counts of Katzenelnbogen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1363, the castle was divided in two, to
support two Frankenstein families living in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the early 15<sup>th</sup> century, it was enlarged and the
Frankenstein’s severed their alignment with the Counts of Katzenelnbogen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1662, it was sold to the Landgraves of
Hesse-Darmstadt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later, it was used as a
hospital and a refuge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the 18<sup>th</sup>
century, it fell into ruin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The two
towers were rebuilt in the 19<sup>th</sup> century, but they are not
historically accurate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1976, American
soldiers stationed in Darmstadt established the first Halloween party at the
castle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The US base at Darmstadt was
closed in 2008, but the proprietors of the castle still maintain the Halloween
tradition.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frankenstein castle near Bad Dürkheim</td></tr>
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The other castle Frankenstein lies above the town of
Frankenstein near Bad Dürkheim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Knights of Frankenstein were first mentioned in 1146. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The castle itself was referred to as a
property of the Counts of Leiningen in 1237.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In 1251, the Knights John and Frederick of Frankenstein confirm that the
Abbot of the monastery of Limburg is their liege lord, and later that John is a
vassal of the Bishop of Speyer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1340,
the Frankenstein male line became extinct.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In 1350, Count Fritz of Leiningen-Rixingen bought the castle from the
canon of Mainz for 600 gold florins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
the subsequent years, the castle was bought and sold by various nobles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1586, a dilapidated tower was demolished,
but parts of the castle were still inhabitable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In 1621 during the 30-Years War, the castle was taken by Spanish troops,
under General Ambrose Spinola.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1788,
through an imperial court decree, the castle went to the Prince of
Leiningen-Hardenburg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After going into
state ownership, in 1883, 1938, 1971 and 1988, extensive conservation measures
were taken at the ruins.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CWqhtq3P7vc/UIUQeRtbbrI/AAAAAAAAAD8/AYeZuZ92CEU/s1600/114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CWqhtq3P7vc/UIUQeRtbbrI/AAAAAAAAAD8/AYeZuZ92CEU/s320/114.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frankenstein castle near Bad Dürkheim</td></tr>
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Now, to be true to the fiction, in Mary Shelley’s book,
Victor Frankenstein did not create his monster in a castle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather, he created it in an apartment in the
town of Ingolstadt just north of Munich.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hollywood has embellished the story quite a bit in this regard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, if I were to choose a castle to set a
story such as this in, I would choose the castle near Bad Dürkheim, rather than
the castle near Darmstadt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In looking at
what’s left of the architecture, this castle was at least 4 or 5 stories high…which
leads one to imagine a damp, dark basement in which to create a monster. Although,
having said that, the Frankenstein line of Bad Dürkhem castle did die out in
the 14<sup>th</sup> century, and the book was set in the 19<sup>th</sup>
century, some 500 years later…which would make this setting historically
inaccurate.</div>
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<o:p></o:p> </div>
Lacey Falconehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03818824629009067182noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236538413367790606.post-86073075928588126612012-06-21T00:00:00.000-07:002012-06-21T00:00:54.316-07:00Amateur Archeology at Burg Waldeck<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F1r_Ovf1gFQ/T-K-0A4KeMI/AAAAAAAAACw/VMN7E1Qj0XQ/s1600/CIMG3754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F1r_Ovf1gFQ/T-K-0A4KeMI/AAAAAAAAACw/VMN7E1Qj0XQ/s320/CIMG3754.JPG" width="240" /></a>Have you ever been somewhere where you’ve wished you had a shovel and metal detector?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is how I felt when I visited the castle ruins at Waldeck.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">OK, now I’ll admit that I love archeology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll find me glued to the TV set watching a program called “Time Team” on BBC…where they go around to farmers’ fields in Britain and dig up old Roman ruins, or traces of Anglo-Saxon settlements…or whatever they can dig up, literally.<o:p></o:p></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When I poke around old castle ruins around Germany, I usually want to know a little more about the site…but the urge to start digging doesn’t normally hit me as hard as it did here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only other time I can remember wanting to dig so badly was when I visited the Incan ruins at Ollantaytambo in Peru.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just “knew” there was something important buried there.<o:p></o:p></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gbg8op3SAm8/T-LAKGOvaaI/AAAAAAAAAC4/l72FkzxqKx4/s1600/CIMG3737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gbg8op3SAm8/T-LAKGOvaaI/AAAAAAAAAC4/l72FkzxqKx4/s320/CIMG3737.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>I found Waldeck much in the same way that I find most of the castles in Germany…I see it referenced on a map, and then I go looking for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Waldeck (there are a number of castles named ‘Waldeck’ in Germany) was out near the Mosel, but not actually on the river.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, as I drove around, getting nearer to the point on the map, I was stopped at a checkpoint where I had to pay to park in a field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hmm, they were having some event at the castle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OK, I’m always game to join in…<o:p></o:p><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Q3H9So7HiA/T-LDOnJy8zI/AAAAAAAAADE/jJbfT8FOj-U/s1600/CIMG3736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Q3H9So7HiA/T-LDOnJy8zI/AAAAAAAAADE/jJbfT8FOj-U/s320/CIMG3736.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As it turns out, there was a folk music festival on the castle grounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, you couldn’t see the castle from the grounds. I was told that the castle was run by a youth organization and that the general public couldn’t go in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bummer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I decided to enjoy the folk music instead.<o:p></o:p></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Ahhh, but I talked to one of the local ladies, and she told me about other castles in the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she asked me if I had seen the ruins of the “old castle”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, there are two castles “Waldeck” there – the newer one, run by the youth organization – and the older one, that anyone can go see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, she led me on a 15 minute tromp through the woods to the “old castle”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perfect – just what I wanted!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we came upon the castle ruins, it was almost like a scene from ‘Tomb-Raider’, where the overgrown ruins seemed like they had been untouched for decades (well, except for the graffiti on the old castle walls).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s when I wanted to start digging!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uUlz7B0lGD0/T-LDvhKstZI/AAAAAAAAADM/SGfYtP0boAE/s1600/CIMG3740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uUlz7B0lGD0/T-LDvhKstZI/AAAAAAAAADM/SGfYtP0boAE/s320/CIMG3740.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Most of the castle ruins in Germany are cared for by some organization –it may be the local town, or the State, or an interested organization.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though they are ruins, they usually have evidence of the care – a bench, or signs, or railings for the stone steps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, Waldeck seemed uncared for – untouched…and a perfect place for an amateur archeologist.<o:p></o:p></div>Lacey Falconehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03818824629009067182noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236538413367790606.post-18055948222067371002012-05-09T18:49:00.000-07:002012-05-09T18:49:06.810-07:00Trifels Castle – Where Richard the Lionheart was held for RansomI live in Germany, and you can’t go anywhere in this beautiful country without practically tripping over a castle or castle ruins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I read somewhere that there are 20,000 castles or castle ruins in Germany.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This month, I’m posting about one of my favorite castles (well, I should really call it a castle group) – Trifels castle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The three castles of Trifels sit on hills above the town of Annweiler, in the state of Rheinland-Pfalz.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While visiting the main castle at Trifels, it is only a short 20-minute hike to visit the other castle ruins on the adjoining hills.</div><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kldJYrWpLzg/T6sV41E0TnI/AAAAAAAAAAg/SaZF3w44Y_s/s1600/Burg+Trifels+30.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kldJYrWpLzg/T6sV41E0TnI/AAAAAAAAAAg/SaZF3w44Y_s/s320/Burg+Trifels+30.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trifels Castle</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The main castle is called Trifels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was first mentioned in the year 1081, and we know that by 1115 it was an Imperial castle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Hohenstaufen Dynasty (Frederick Barbarossa’s line) made Trifels an important stronghold, and it stood in the center of major historical events in Germany for many years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The castle held the crown jewels from 1125 until 1298.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was also a prison for high-ranking political prisoners, and is known as the prison where Richard the Lionheart of England was held for ransom.<o:p></o:p></div><br />
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</div>As Richard the Lionheart was returning to Europe from the 3<sup>rd</sup> Crusade, he was captured by Duke Leopold of Austria (whom he had publically insulted during the Crusade) in 1192.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Duke Leopold then turned Richard over to German Emperor Henry VI, who held him at Trifels for almost a year (from 1193-1194) for ransom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His ransom of 150,000 Marks (a huge sum at the time) was paid, and Richard returned to England briefly to regain his crown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Less than a month later, he went to France to try to regain lands in Normandy that he had lost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He died in 1199 from complications from a wound he received in a battle in France.<o:p></o:p><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">With the fall of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, Trifels diminished in importance. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the middle of the 14<sup>th</sup> century, it was minimally manned and reconstruction efforts were restricted to makeshift safeguarding measures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1602, it was struck by lightning and burned out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was completely abandoned by 1635, and its walls were robbed out as a stone quarry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was renewed interest in the castle in the late 19<sup>th</sup> century, and efforts began for planning its reconstruction.<o:p></o:p></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QHKjr4DTtHg/T6sWbR7baUI/AAAAAAAAAAo/OtHknQuiha0/s1600/Burg+Trifels+17.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QHKjr4DTtHg/T6sWbR7baUI/AAAAAAAAAAo/OtHknQuiha0/s320/Burg+Trifels+17.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside Trifels</td></tr>
</tbody></table>In 1937, the Nazi premier of Bavaria, Ludwig Siebert, pushed for its reconstruction in order to create a national shrine as a symbol of the “old and the new Reich”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He commissioned Rudolf Esterer (who reconstructed the Nuremburg Castle and the Marienberg Castle in Würzburg) to complete the reconstruction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Esterer deliberately strayed from historical accuracy in his plan – instead focusing on making it a national shrine and having it fit in aesthetically with the landscape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the War, Esterer was consulted again, and the renovations were complete.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uA7GIU7uoCY/T6sW6u78vPI/AAAAAAAAAAw/hkrXV0T2-7Q/s1600/Burg+Anebos+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uA7GIU7uoCY/T6sW6u78vPI/AAAAAAAAAAw/hkrXV0T2-7Q/s320/Burg+Anebos+5.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anebos Castle</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">On an adjoining hill are the ruins of Anebos castle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is speculated that this castle was built in the 12<sup>th</sup> century to protect Trifels castle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This castle was already abandoned by the mid-13<sup>th</sup> century.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All that currently remains are the bedrock that the castle was built into, and a few castle walls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can see the holes in the rock, where the castle was anchored – a true visual of the genius of German engineering.<o:p></o:p></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jtE0iC2vGQM/T6sXqLf0l2I/AAAAAAAAAA4/Y9RCu9Yoq4s/s1600/Burg+Scharfenberg+9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jtE0iC2vGQM/T6sXqLf0l2I/AAAAAAAAAA4/Y9RCu9Yoq4s/s320/Burg+Scharfenberg+9.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scharfenberg Castle</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">On the next adjoining hill are the ruins of Scharfenberg castle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was also originally built to protect Trifels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the 13<sup>th</sup> century, it became the German mint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During this time, it picked up the nickname “Münz”, meaning “coin”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the family von Scharfenberg became extinct, the castle was turned over to the Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1525, the castle was destroyed in the Peasant’s War.<o:p></o:p></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The three castles form a triangle which Viktor von Scheffel refers to in his poem, <em>Trifels</em>, written in 1867.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The castles are open to visitors year-round, and there is a quaint restaurant lower on the hill with spectacular views of Trifels.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Do you have a favorite castle in Germany?</div>Lacey Falconehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03818824629009067182noreply@blogger.com16