Altensteiner Park

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Location map
Altenstein Castle between 1890 and 1905

The Altensteiner Park is a listed landscape park in the urban area of ​​the Thuringian spa town Bad Liebenstein in the Wartburg district . With a size of around 160 hectares, the park is one of the largest historical parks in Thuringia, it merges almost imperceptibly in the north and west into the Schweinaer Grund and the high forest on the mountain slopes of the Schweinaer forest district of Windsberg .

The park is owned by the Thuringian Palaces and Gardens Foundation .

history

Luisentaler waterfall

The first healing springs were discovered in the 16th century and marketed as a miracle spring by Duke Casimir von Sachsen-Coburg at the beginning of the 17th century. Around 1800 the village of Liebenstein was acquired by the Duke of Saxony-Meiningen and converted into a flourishing fashion spa through considerable building activities. Duke Georg and his family tried to get Altenstein Castle, which his grandfather had avoided, and the plan arose to develop the still unspoilt rocky landscape around the castle and use it as a castle park.

In the middle of the 19th century, at the suggestion of Hermann von Pückler-Muskau, the facility was converted into a landscape park based on the English model - a very welcome idea, because Princess Adelheid, who once played in the park, had now become Queen of the British. With the support of Eduard Petzold , who worked in Thuringia , the park was enlarged, viewing aisles were created and the planting of exotic trees began. Even Peter Joseph Lenne , bedeutendster garden architect of the 19th century, who was in the service of the Prussian court administration and designed the parks of many royal palaces in Berlin and Potsdam, was asked for suggestions for the Altensteiner Park 1855th On August 13, 1846, a large folk festival was held in Altensteiner Park in honor of the 54th birthday of the queen widow Adelheid of England . In the years 1846-1852, other parts of the Altensteiner Park were redesigned. On August 4, 1850, the famous German teacher Friedrich Wilhelm August Fröbel organized a big game festival on the Altenstein. A Hohenzollern prince married quietly at Altenstein Castle in 1853. In the years 1888–1889 the palace was rebuilt for the “theater duke” Georg II, Duke of Saxony-Meiningen , who is considered the last major builder and sponsor of the palace and park in Altenstein. The renovation took place in the style of country houses of the English late Renaissance of the 16th century with facades in the neo-renaissance style. In the years 1890–1900, parts of the park, especially in the area near the castle, were redesigned. At the invitation of the ducal couple, Johannes Brahms stayed at the Altenstein several times between 1894 and 1895.

After the November Revolution in Germany, the last Duke of Meiningen, Bernhard III, abdicated and now lived as a private citizen with his family at Altenstein Castle and in Meiningen. In the late 1930s, the palace and park are said to have been sold to the State of Thuringia, but the ducal family continued to receive the right of residence. During the Second World War there was also fighting and bombing in the airspace over Schweina, some of which detonated in the park area. The ducal art collections and the sculptures placed in the park were removed. A freight train set on fire near Munich is said to have contained the largest part of this collection and fell victim to the flames. After the war, the park and palace were made public and developed into a center of Bad Liebenstein spa tourism. On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the cave discovery, a summer festival and a pageant took place in Schweina and on the Altenstein.

Entrances and parts of the park

The guarded, stately entrance to Altenstein Castle was once located at the obelisk gate

The Altensteiner Park forms a hill that slopes steeply towards the Schweina valley and is adorned with numerous rocky outcrops and tree veterans. More than 20 km of paths and access roads are available for visitors to the park area. The park has grown historically and connects to the historical locations of the villages of Schweina with the Glücksbrunn and Steinbach Castle . A necessary access and thoroughfare divides the park into two roughly equal halves. The main entrances for visitors are at the Altensteiner Höhle at Glücksbrunn Castle in the south, at the Katzenkopf car park with a connection to Steinbach in the east and on Kisseler Straße in Schweina as access via Luisenthal in the west. There are additional parking spaces for short-term visitors across from the hotel.

The 15 hectare core area of ​​the park surrounds the castle, the main sights and the adjacent, maintenance-intensive meadows and borders. To protect against wild boars and other wild animals, this area is surrounded by a protective fence. The part of the park bordering the Steinbacher district is now completely wooded, a network of radiant paths begins at the Katzenkopf car park. To the north of the hotel and the park administration, the Fohlenwiese stretches out to the source stream of the Luisenthal and, with its meadows and small trees, delimits the park area from the Windsberg forest to the north. The powder wood forms the northwestern part of the park, the duke's grave and devil's bridge can be found in it and the path to the Sennhütte. The south-western part is taken by the Luisenthaler Grund with the lake and Luisenthaler waterfall .

Components of the landscape park

The main line of sight from the court marshal's office to the castle with the fountain
A plait bed
Two young adventurers in the depths of the Altensteiner Cave (1938)
View to the Devil's Bridge
Goddess Artemis
Rest bench with ulterior motives?
Chinese house (2011)

In the following overview, many sights of the park could be recorded, which today are only known from photos and old travel guides .

The "Knight's Chapel" (built around 1800) is considered evidence of the Duke's membership of the Masonic Order . The stump of the old keep was still visible from the castle ruins, only a few meters away a rock needle protruded from the slope, which the duke made the site of the knight's chapel . The small structure adorned with coats of arms also shows the Masonic emblem and is now one of the park's attractions after its restoration. At the foot of the knight's chapel there was also a famous linden tree that still existed in the 1950s.

The "Prinzessinnengärten" - the original castle park initially only included the area surrounding the castle with the so-called little princess gardens - the place was intended as a sheltered playground for the duke's children and had small wooden huts and flower beds. Today the square can only be recognized as a meadow.

The “Theaterplatz” is located near the Prinzessinnengärten below the knight's chapel under trees. It was a favorite place of Duchess Louise. Two stones located there once bore the names of their daughters Ida and Adelheid. There are two seats sunk into the rock next to it. These are known as "Hund'sche Kanapees". The place was therefore the court of law at Altenstein Castle from the time of the dogs of Wenkheim.

The "border and plaited beds" create a colorful contrast to the green of the meadows and trees. Originally, the approximately 200-meter-long space between the castle and the farm wing with stables, coach houses, kitchens and accommodation was to be used for the administration and the staff for the creation of artfully enclosed lawns, borders and flower beds. Around the year 2000, the historical planting of the round bed and the new planting of the plait beds on the palace terraces began again.

The “Terraces at the Castle” divide the south-eastern slope into three levels and cleverly incorporate structural remains of the previous castle and the necessary retaining walls and pillars into the garden architecture. Also worth seeing is the arcades and inserted into the rock "memorial" with eagle for the fallen in World War I fliers Jörg von Saalfeld and Hermann Lietz . There is another fountain (currently out of order) on the lowest terrace.

The "Bonifatiusfelsen" reminded with a plaque in gilded letters of the regained freedom from the French occupation - GOD FATHERLAND FREEDOM - MDCCCXVV. As early as the 19th century, an iron cross had been set up on the top of the rock, according to tradition, there was an early chapel from the time of the conversion of the Gentiles there. Its location in the park area made it possible to use and design a dignified space within the park for religious festivals or for state events and ceremonies. The rock also has remains of the medieval castle walls. The cross on the top of the rock, renewed in 1992, reminds of the Christianization of Thuringia. The ascent to the rock is made possible via a staircase cleverly carved into the rock. The vantage point on the rock is now overgrown by trees, but the bench on the rock offers the best view of Altenstein Castle and the park fountain.

The eastern main entrance was marked in the valley floor by the "Obeliskentor". A wrought iron gate held by four stone obelisks and connecting walls and fences blocked access, and military guards once secured the castle area. The access road to the castle is shaded by an avenue of trees, of which only a few veterans have survived. A linden tree, which is unusual in its shape, was praised as a "hollow tree" 100 years ago. The Bonifatius rock with the newly erected cross towers over the main driveway.

The "Altensteiner Höhle" is a natural cave on the outskirts of Schweina. Chance also came to the aid of the Duke's efforts. The Altensteiner Cave was discovered during road construction work, and because of its size and beauty it quickly became a visitor attraction. By collecting entrance fees, part of the development costs could even be amortized.

The "Luisenthal as a rural idyll" - trips abroad and visits to other princes encouraged the Duke to have plans for the use of the sometimes bizarre rocky reefs around the castle drawn up. The largely bare, alpine meadow terrain with its steep slopes that are unfavorable for grazing and the high forest in the background could certainly remind the visitor of alpine landscape idylls in Switzerland . The first plans commissioned in 1800 included the construction of a small artificial lake and the “Luisenthaler waterfall” at the “Schweizer Sennhütte” fed by an irrigation ditch. Since there are no chamois here , mountain goats were kept at the waterfall . The meadow area at the bottom of the valley served as a fairground and venue for horse races.

The “foal house” at the Fohlenwiese stood near the duke's grave on the highest point of the park area. It belonged to the Altensteiner Gestüt, which was run by the dukes until 1848 and was furnished in an oriental style. Inside there were portraits of famous Arabian racehorses as well as sayings written in a calligraphically appealing form in Arabic script. From the forecourt you had a grandiose view of the northern edge of the Rhön . Today only a leveled meadow and a sign remind of this place.

The "Devil's Bridge" (first built around 1800) is within sight of the castle. Right above the Luisenthal rises a rock section with two neighboring rock needles, which were connected with a chain bridge . According to the original plans, a rushing mountain stream should have increased the eerily beautiful thrill of a passage over the slightly swaying bridge, but the technical prerequisites were lacking. In this part of the rock, too, miners worked passages, stairs, a bench and mysterious recesses into the rock. In 1918 the original bridge was damaged and dismantled. The foundation celebrated its re-establishment in 2009.

Many caves and rock formations increase the scenic charm
Flower basket rock (2013)

The "Love Grotto" is about 100 steps west of the Devil's Bridge. An existing natural cave, the southern ceiling of which had already collapsed, has been exposed and a passage has been created. In the still vaulted part of the grotto, a kind of bench was worked into the rock. Beyond the grotto, stairs lead to a valley path into the Luisental.

The "pheasant drinking trough", which had not existed for several decades, was also restored in 2011 with the help of private donations. There is no other example of such a pheasant drinker in German parks.

The “Turk Tent” and the “Chinese House” (built around 1800) were curiosities in keeping with contemporary tastes. In the summer months, a Turkish tent was set up on the large meadow near the castle, it served as a shade for the guests. Following the taste of the times, which was based on chinoiseries , the building of a Chinese house on a steep rock tower was commissioned. The building is reached via a staircase carved into the rock with 33 steps, it received a carillon made of Lauscha glass as a special decoration and an Aeolian harp was built into the rock at a suitable place , so that the visitors of the pavilion with wind movements by random sounds and tones were surprised and entertained. While the Aeolian harp has not been around for a long time and would be ineffective due to the tree vegetation, the rebuilt Chinese house was handed over to the foundation on November 29, 2011.

The "hollow stone" on which the Chinese house was built was a special attraction on the south side of the park. Its views of the Werra valley , the nearby Rhön or across the valley were known and popular with spa guests. The name "Hollow Stone" refers to a large depression on the northeastern rock face, which centuries ago was derisively referred to as the "Dragon's Cave" by the locals. A narrow crevice led through the rock and was equipped with the Aeolian harp.

The “Hermitage” recalls the time of the medieval hermits around Schweina, who also did their lonely work in Eckerzell - now Luisenthal. The cave is known today as the "cat cave" and can be entered via the paths under the hollow stone. Miners widened a gap in the rock and built two chambers, which are also bathed in mystical darkness during the day. Next to the entrance gate there are two animal figures carved out of the rock, which are interpreted as fox or dog and cat. In the rear chamber there is a kind of bench or altar as a sleeping place for the hermit .

The "flower basket" is an eye-catching rock section, it was decorated with a flower bowl carved from sandstone, which became an eye-catcher with its colorful plants. Under the slightly overhanging rock there was a marble bust of Duchess Charlotte Amalie and a seating area. In the meantime, the area is covered by the surrounding forest and the bust with the substructure and the flower bowl are no longer there. In 2013 a new flower basket was designed and a restoration of the seating area is planned shortly.

A neighboring group of rocks on the east side of the enlarged park area was provided with a viewing pavilion - the so-called "Rotunda" (built around 1800). Access was through an underground passage carved into the rock, which ended in a spiral staircase and led up to the viewing platform. Unfortunately, this building is no longer present either, it had to be dismantled in 1884. You can still visit the tunnel and the stairwell. A restoration and restoration is planned.

The "Mooshütte" was a small shelter near the flower basket and the rotunda. A similar hut is currently located south of Bad Liebenstein in the western part of the Aschenberg near the Karl-Bücher monument.

Knight's Chapel (1905)
The 400-year-old linden tree (1955)

The “morning gate” never came to an end. At the main entrance to the village of Steinbach , a rock group has been identified as a morning gate rock . A craggy rock face was opened up and allowed a view of the neighboring Liebenstein castle ruins. The space above the abyss, secured only by an iron grating, was called the “gallery”. It also has a charming panoramic view towards Dolmar and the Rhön. Perhaps a kind of Japanese gate was supposed to be built here to match the Chinese house, but the plan never came to fruition. Here, however, there is probably the most beautiful view of the Werra valley and the Vorderrhön.

The "Bernhardsplatz" is a memorial to Duke Bernhard I near the castle. The square was designed as a linden tree planted around a stone bench.

Further "curiosities" were added to the emerging network of paths. At the main entrance you will find the picturesque bench made of sandstone. A motto “ F · V · R · F · A · V · L · E ”, which is now less noticeable due to the weathering, may have denied the use of some visitors. The Altenstein-Glücksbrunn Friends' Association has been able to restore the bench and the stone sundial in the inner park with donations in recent years. Also to be mentioned are the Idolino statue with a fountain and the Artemis statue with a deer and the large fountain basin in front of the castle.

The ducal tomb

Tomb of Bernhard III.

As the last ruling prince of Saxony-Meiningen was Duke Bernhard III. and his wife Charlotte buried in a communal grave near the castle, the area enclosed by a small lattice fence is now known as the ducal grave.

Dendrological sights

Giant sequoia in the park

The park offers interesting insights at any time of day or year. Almost all native woods are represented in large numbers in the different parts of the park: hornbeam and copper beech , ash , oak , elm , linden , alder , birch , maple , spruce , pine and larch . They form the backdrop for some exotic delicacy: cypress , ginkgo tree , Helmock- and Colorado fir , Caucasian wingnut , juniper and an early Come to Germany Giant sequoia can be viewed.

As a special feature, it should be noted that this sequoia tree was transplanted from Bad Liebenstein to Altensteiner Park in 1885 when it was around 30 years old using an English planting wagon.

The formation of the rock formations

A special feature of Altensteiner Park are the rock formations on the south side of the park. These are the remains of the body of an extensive reef, which, similar to today's tropical atolls and coral reefs, existed about 235 million years ago in a coastal region of the Zechstein Sea . During this time a rich organic life developed around the reef, based on calcareous algae as reef builders. At first other life forms - stromatolites and bryozoa , which were characteristic of this habitat due to their conspicuous shape and distribution - were regarded as reef builders and in the older specialist literature the reef type was called bryozoal reef . In more recent research literature, however, the more appropriate term calcareous algae reef is used. Favorable and constant living conditions over a long period and the old age of this reef led to an unusual size of the reef body. The geologists entrusted with the investigation and measurement of the Altensteiner reef determined a thickness of 115 m - today's reef formations reach only 60 to 70 m. A typical feature of these reefs is the frequency of caves and crevices due to their formation.

Events

The Altensteiner Park is an integral part of the cultural program of the city of Bad Liebenstein and the communities of Schweina and Steinbach. The 14th Park Festival was held in June 2011 and reports were made on the progress made in maintaining and rebuilding the park and the Altenstein Castle. The day of the cure organized in Bad Liebenstein and the day of the open monument held at the same time are also experiencing great interest . The Altensteiner Höhle is represented on the day of the geotope with supporting events and special tours. Various Thuringian foundations, societies and associations also offer guided tours and events in Altensteiner Park, including, for example, garden and landscape architects and tourist associations.

Idolino fountain

Remarks

  1. ↑ Powder wood: "In Louisenthal the powder mill ... - a safe distance from Schweina a powder mill was operated in the valley, black powder was manufactured here for use in the mines (Glücksbrunner Werke), the powder wood was a forest belonging to the mill."
  2. ↑ Lack of water and planting: "The planting on the sunny hillside had to be kept to a minimum until a cast-iron water pipe was built, as there are no natural springs on the Altenstein itself."
  3. ↑ Altensteiner Höhle: “On June 26, 1799, workers reported the discovery of a buried cavity in a rock ledge that had just been blasted. It would take another four years until the front part of the Altensteiner cave was exposed and prepared for viewing. The excavation was carried out with great care, because remains of cave bears and other fossils were discovered in the mud, which are said to have been in the cave for up to 50,000 years. The attraction of the underground grottos and watercourses, the mysterious interior of the earth, was further enhanced by a temple gate, corridors lit with torches and an underground concert hall. With a little imagination, you felt like Orpheus in the underworld. Every year the people of Schweina celebrate the day of discovery of the cave with a festival. "
  4. ↑ Türkenzelt: “Since the 16th century Germany experienced a recurring Turkish threat, which culminated in the victorious siege of the imperial capital Vienna. In addition to the loathing of the enemy threat, there was also a curiosity about the strange Asian world. Many aristocratic soldiers in the war received a piece from the Turkish booty for their frontline service, including weapons and jewelry as well as tents and items of clothing. "
  5. ↑ Chinese house: “The building, which was mainly made of wood, had to be dismantled in 1923. The furnishings of the Chinese house are described differently in the literature. For this reason, it was not used during the reconstruction. "
  6. ^ Bench F · V · R · F · A · V · L · E. The text is an acronym for: "PEACE AND CALM FOR ALL OUR DEAR INHABITANTS."
  7. ↑ The ducal grave: “On July 23, 1921, the Duchess Charlotte, a born princess of Prussia, was buried on the Altenstein. She was a regent very popular among the people and did a lot for the promotion of schools and health facilities in Saxony-Meiningen. The widowed duke lived at Altenstein Castle and in Meiningen until his death on January 16, 1928. On Sunday, January 21st, after a memorial service in the Schweina church, he was brought to the crypt on the Altenstein with military honors (about 1000 men of honor trellis and escort) and buried next to his wife. "

literature

  • Art and nature. Staged nature in the garden from the late 17th to the 19th century . In: Yearbook of the Thuringian Palaces and Gardens Foundation 2011 . Weimar 2011, ISBN 978-3-7954-2654-5 . (Contains, among other things, articles on the Chinese house and reports on construction work in 2011)
  • Friedrich Mosengeil : The Bad Liebenstein and its surroundings . Ettingsche Buchhandlung, Gotha 1815 ( archive.org ).
  • Ludwig Bechstein : Liebenstein and Altenstein - A tourist guide. 1842.
  • Emil Rückert: Altenstein's past. 1852 (Elchverlag, 2002, ISBN 3-933566-08-8 )
  • Bertram Lucke: The three summer residences of Duke Georg II of Saxony-Meiningen in Bad Liebenstein and on the Altenstein. Verlag Bildung und Wissen, Bad Homburg / Leipzig 1994, ISBN 3-927879-58-4 .
  • Bertram Lucke, Günther Thimm: Altenstein Castle and Park . Deutscher Kunstverlag, Munich / Berlin 1997.
  • Roland Geißler : hiking guide to Bad Liebenstein and the Inselsberg. Rockstuhl Verlag, Bad Langensalza 2007, ISBN 978-3-938997-79-6 .

Web links

Commons : Altensteiner Park  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Fritz Danz: The miracle source of Bad Liebenstein . In: Ortschronik Schweina e. V. (Ed.): Altensteiner Blätter . Yearbook 1994. Südthüringer Verlag, Schweina 1994, p. 85-89 .
  2. ^ Emil Rückert: Altenstein's Vorzeit (reprint) . Elch Verlag, Bad Liebenstein 1852, ISBN 3-933566-08-8 .
  3. ^ Jürgen Bredow: rocks of the Altenstein Zechstein reef . In: Ortschronik Schweina e. V. (Ed.): Altensteiner Blätter . Yearbook 1994. Südthüringer Verlag, Schweina 1994, p. 4-15 .
  4. ↑ Gerd Schäfer: The classic landscape park . In: Ortschronik Schweina e. V. (Ed.): Altensteiner Blätter . Yearbook 1994. Südthüringer Verlag, Schweina 1994, p. 18-19 .
  5. ↑ Edith Raddatz: Peter Joseph Lenné and Altenstein . In: Ortschronik Schweina e. V. (Ed.): Altensteiner Blätter . 1997–98 yearbook. Südthüringer Verlag, Schweina 1998, p. 7-9 .
  6. ↑ Edith Raddatz, Fritz Künemund: The great folk festival on the Altenstein 150 years ago . In: Ortschronik Schweina e. V. (Ed.): Altensteiner Blätter . Yearbook 1996. Südthüringer Verlag, Schweina 1996, p. 16-18 .
  7. ↑ Werner Fritzsche: The "silent" wedding of a Hohenzollern prince at Altenstein Castle in 1853 . In: Ortschronik Schweina e. V. (Ed.): Altensteiner Blätter . tape 2005-08 . Südthüringer Verlag, Schweina 2008, p. 5-10 .
  8. ↑ a b Rainer Koch: 200 years of Altenstein cave and park. Pageant on June 20, 1999 . In: Ortschronik Schweina e. V. (Ed.): Altensteiner Blätter . Yearbook 1999/2000. Südthüringer Verlag, Schweina 2000, p. 28-36 .
  9. ↑ a b Park guide of the Thuringian Palaces and Gardens Foundation and the Altenstein-Glücksbrunn Friends' Association
  10. ↑ a b c d Heinrich Schwerdt , Alexander Ziegler : Latest travel guide for Thuringia . In: Meyer's travel books . V. Band. Meyers Lexiconverlag, Hildburghausen 1864, From Altenstein to Eisenach, p. 335-40 . (as a digitized version on Google Books)
  11. ↑ Edith Raddatz: From the chronicle of Pastor Johannes Walch, Schweina, around 1800 . In: Ortschronik Schweina e. V. (Ed.): Altensteiner Blätter . Yearbook 1999/2000. Südthüringer Verlag, Schweina 2000, p. 20-24 .
  12. ↑ Edith Raddatz, Gerd Schäfer: The old Stain . In: Ortschronik Schweina e. V. (Ed.): Altensteiner Blätter . Yearbook 1995. Südthüringer Verlag, Schweina 1995, p. 25-28 .
  13. ↑ The checkered history of Altenstein Castle and Park . In: Ortschronik Schweina e. V. (Ed.): Altensteiner Blätter . Südthüringer Verlag, Schweina 1992, p. 5-6 .
  14. ↑ Historical pheasant drinking troughs in Altenstein Castle Park near Bad Liebenstein restored . In: Ostthüringer Zeitung , June 18, 2011.
  15. ↑ Peter Watzek: The Chinese house (or the hollow stone) . In: Ortschronik Schweina e. V. (Ed.): Altensteiner Blätter . Yearbook 1993. Südthüringer Verlag, Schweina 1993, p. 6-7 .
  16. ↑ a b A. Raddatz: The field names of Schweina (after Erich Oeckelt 1922) . In: Ortschronik Schweina e. V. (Ed.): Altensteiner Blätter . Yearbook 1993. Südthüringer Verlag, Schweina 1993, p. 64-81 .
  17. ↑ Peter Watzek: The former rotunda . In: Ortschronik Schweina e. V. (Ed.): Altensteiner Blätter . Yearbook 1992. Südthüringer Verlag, Schweina 1992, p. 16-19 .
  18. ↑ Werner Peters: Benches in nature . In: Ortschronik Schweina e. V. (Ed.): Altensteiner Blätter . Yearbook 1999/2000. Südthüringer Verlag, Schweina 2000, p. 5-6 .
  19. ↑ Edith Raddatz: The ducal grave on the Altenstein . In: Ortschronik Schweina e. V. (Ed.): Altensteiner Blätter . Yearbook 2001–2002. Südthüringer Verlag, Schweina, OCLC 1034014574 , p. 21-35 .
  20. ↑ Edith Raddatz: The giant sequoia in Altensteiner Park . In: Ortschronik Schweina e. V. (Ed.): Altensteiner Blätter . Südthüringer Verlag, Schweina 1996, p. 12-13 .
  21. ^ Association of Friends: The Altensteiner Riff (review of a lecture) . In: Ortschronik Schweina e. V. (Ed.): Altensteiner Blätter . Yearbook 1994. Südthüringer Verlag, Schweina 1994, p. 16-17 .

Coordinates: 50 ° 50 ′ 7 ″  N , 10 ° 20 ′ 59 ″  E