Old Eberstein

Alt-Eberstein Castle
	Alt-Eberstein Castle - general view from the north
Creation time :	around 1100
Castle type :	Höhenburg in spur location
Conservation status:	ruin
Standing position :	Count
Place:	Baden-Baden - Ebersteinburg
Geographical location	48 ° 47 '2 " N , 8 ° 16' 14" E Coordinates: 48 ° 47 '2 " N , 8 ° 16' 14" E
Height:	480 m above sea level NN

Alt-Eberstein ruin as seen from Merkur

The Alt-Eberstein Castle is the ruin of a spur castle on a hilltop north of the Schlossberg, directly above the Baden-Baden district of Ebersteinburg in Baden-Württemberg . It is the ancestral seat of the Eberstein County .

history

The Spornburg, at a strategically favorable 480 m above sea level. NN high mountain peak located, probably originated in 1100 as the seat of the Counts of Eberstein . The oldest part of the castle is the shield wall . The castle was first mentioned in 1197 as Castrum Eberstein . The counts of Eberstein built the close in the second half of the 13th century Castle Neu-Eberstein and took starting with Otto I (1207-1279) there also headquartered, while the old castle in 1240 during the wedding of Cunegonde von Eberstein with Margrave Rudolf I of Baden came half as dowry to Kunigunde and half by sale to Rudolf I. In 1288 the hamlet of Ebersteinburg also came to the Baden population.

After the Alt-Eberstein Castle was passed over to the margraviate of Baden , the margraves had it expanded significantly and even used it as a residence for a time ; but soon it was given to Burgmannen . In 1290 Johann von Berwartstein was named as a Burgmann. Around 1400 the margravial archive was placed in the castle .

In 1434 Agnes von Baden was interned at Castle. As a result of the Gottorf twin fall , she had given birth to children of her husband Gerhard VII. They were conceived before the marriage, which led to disputes over inheritance after Gerhard's untimely death. When Agnes thwarted her brother Jakob I von Baden's further marriage plans by becoming engaged to Hans von Höwen, an admirer from earlier days, Margrave Jakob I had his sister interned at Eberstein Castle for the rest of her life. Agnes died there blind in the first weeks of 1473.

After Agnes' death, the Baden steward Hans von Bergen moved into the castle, and other officials followed him . Alt-Eberstein was uninhabited by 1573 at the latest and the associated goods were given to the community. The ruin eventually developed into a popular quarry for Ebersteinburgers interested in building materials .

Conservation measures on the ruins have been taking place since the 19th century.

investment

From the former castle essentially only are today curtain wall and subsequently placed onto the shield wall keep present. The keep in the southeast corner of the complex has a square floor plan and a height of 18 meters. The wall of porphyry conglomerate blocks adjoining the keep to the west is 14 meters high and 30 meters long. To the northwest extends from keep and curtain wall from 20 meters x 20 meters large courtyard, which is respectively west and east walls and kennels , north through a spacious palace was completed. To the south-east of the main castle was an outer castle .

Todays use

The Alt-Eberstein ruin is open for tours during the opening times of the restaurant. It is one of the state's own monuments and is looked after by the State Palaces and Gardens of Baden-Württemberg . Inside the keep, a staircase leads to the viewing platform, from which there is a view of Ebersteinburg and the Northern Black Forest , the lower Murgtal near Gaggenau and the Upper Rhine Plain and its fringes Palatinate Forest , Odenwald and Vosges .

and display information about the image

View to the northeast of the Murgtal and Gaggenau

legend

Fresco by Jakob Götzenberger in the pump room in Baden-Baden, 1844

There is a legend about Alt-Eberstein Castle , which is depicted in the Baden-Baden drinking hall : The Strasbourg bishop is in dispute with Emperor Otto I , in which the Counts of Eberstein stand by the bishop's side. The emperor is not happy about this and decides to siege the castle to starve the counts. When, after more than a year, the siege was still unsuccessful, the emperor came up with a ruse to get hold of the castle. He invites the counts to a tournament in Speyer . His ulterior motive is to easily take the castle without the presence of the counts. However, the emperor's daughter takes a liking to the youngest count and reveals her father's plan to him. The Count von Eberstein, who returned in a hurry, were just able to repel the renewed attack by the imperial soldiers and remained victorious. Since the emperor's soldiers were not too ambitious, the granaries and wine cellars of the counts are still very full and can withstand a longer siege. In order to make this clear to the emperor, the counts show the imperial inspectors their supplies. The emperor, whom the siege cost too much money, was impressed by the cunning of the counts and made them his allies by giving his daughter Wendelgard to the youngest count Eberhard as his wife.

literature

Gerhard Hoffmann: The Alt-Eberstein Castle . In: Hugo Schneider (Ed.): Castles and palaces in central Baden . Series of publications: The Ortenau: Journal of the Historical Association for Central Baden. Volume 64. Verlag des Historisches Verein für Mittelbaden, Offenburg 1984, ISSN 0342-1503 , pp. 85-89.
Alexander Antonow: Castles of southwest Germany in the 13th and 14th centuries - with special consideration of the shield wall . Konkordia Verlag, Bühl / Baden 1977, ISBN 3-7826-0040-1 , pp. 106-108.
Dieter Buck: Castles and ruins in the northern Black Forest - 33 excursions in the footsteps of knights . Konrad Theiss Verlag, Stuttgart 2002, ISBN 3-8062-1601-0 , pp. 37-38.

Web links

Commons : Alt-Eberstein - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files