Alt-Trauchburg Castle

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Alt-Trauchburg Castle
The southwest part of the main castle

The southwest part of the main castle

Alternative name (s): Alttrauchburg, Trauchburg
Creation time : 1100 to 1200
Castle type : Höhenburg, spur location
Conservation status: considerable remains of the wall
Standing position : Nobles
Construction: Nagelfluhquader
Place: Weitnau -Alttrauchburg
Geographical location 47 ° 39 '17.9 "  N , 10 ° 6' 33.5"  E Coordinates: 47 ° 39 '17.9 "  N , 10 ° 6' 33.5"  E
Height: 903  m above sea level NN
Alt-Trauchburg Castle (Bavaria)
Alt-Trauchburg Castle

The ruins of Alt-Trauchburg Castle , also Alttrauchburg or Trauchburg called, is above the Weitenauer Gemeindeteil small hamlet in the district of Oberallgäu in Swabia . From the high to post-medieval castle complex, even larger remains of walls have been preserved. The ruin is one of the best preserved in the Allgäu.

history

Coat of arms of the Lords of Nellenburg
The main castle of the Sonneck, in the background the border and Isny

The hill fort probably goes back to a predecessor of the Counts of Veringen and Nellenburg . This fortress first appeared in the written sources in 1041. It was probably somewhere else nearby; the later Burgplatz seems to have been settled in the 13th century.

Around 1150 a branch of the Lords of Rettenberg was enfeoffed with the rule and from then on called itself "von Trauchburg". At the beginning of the 13th century, Berthold von Trauchburg moved the castle to its current location and built a fortress house or a residential tower here . Berthold was in 1224 under Emperor Friedrich II . Procurator of Swabia.

As early as 1258, the fief went to the Waldburg Truchsessen , who were able to acquire the rule from the indebted counts in 1306. The tower-like core structure has now been expanded and built over. In the south, the spacious outer bailey was built with the strong square tower that was pushed forward.

As a result, the Waldburgers mostly lived in the castle themselves or had it administered by bailiffs (1418 Hans von Mühlegg). In 1429 the Trauchburg came to the Jacobean line of the Waldburg family. Some lords of the castle are referred to in the sources as "bad stewards", so they were in constant financial difficulties.

During the Peasants' War , the Trauchburg was looted and damaged in 1525. In 1546 the troops of the Schmalkaldic League occupied the castle. For these reasons, a kennel was built around the main castle in the 16th century , which was reinforced by artillery gondolas. The fortification of the outer bailey was also strengthened on this occasion.

Two stair towers were built in the main castle, numerous complex renovations made the Trauchburg the representative center of power. In 1628 the Waldburgers were able to acquire the title of imperial count and in 1690 they moved to their castle in Kisslegg .

In 1729 the vacant Trauchburg was used as a quarry for the new palace in Kißlegg. Other parts were demolished in 1784–1788 for the new construction of Neu-Trauchburg near Isny .

In 1772 the Jacobean line of the Waldburger died out with Count Franz Carl Eusebius . The inheritance went to the line of the Counts of Waldburg-Zeil . The castle is still owned by this family today.

In 1985 the Weitnau market began to renovate and develop the Trauchburg. From 1991 these measures were coordinated with the Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation , the Thierhaupten Building Archives and the Burgenforschung Dr. Zeune (Eisenberg) voted.

  • Alt-Trauchburg Castle, around 1840 by Caspar Obach

  • Floor plan on the information board in front of the neck ditch

description

The Spornburg is located on a mountain spur at a height of 903 meters below the Sonneck, one of the low mountain ranges north of the Nagelfluh chain in the Allgäu Alps . The castle square is well protected by its natural location. The slopes drop steeply in the north, east and west. To the north, the main castle is preceded by a spacious plateau; in the south, the large outer castle protected the fortress.

The area of ​​the outer bailey has been largely modernized. The remains of a strong, probably square tower can still be seen on the southern rock. This donjon-like tower was used as a prison in post-medieval times and was therefore referred to as the “theft tower”. Below was a smaller round tower in the curtain wall . To the east of the path are the foundations of a round tower on the steep drop, to the north there are walls. The former castle entrance was also located here, behind which the gate of the outer bailey was flanked by two small turrets. The castle restaurant and a barn use the foundations of older predecessor buildings. The western part of the outer bailey is used as a beer garden .

The modern wooden bridge over the neck ditch in front of the main castle was built in the course of the general renovation. You enter the courtyard of the inner castle through the remains of the gate. To the north rise the ruins of the main building with three basement rooms on the ground floor. The wooden fixtures and galleries are modern additions.

The high medieval masonry consists of mighty Nagelfluh blocks . The shield wall-like reinforcement of the sickle-shaped north-west side is striking . The post-medieval components are partly easy to recognize through their brickwork. In front of the west side there is a kennel , which is flanked by two mighty round towers. The Ostzwinger has gone down to the stump of another round tower.

Despite the participation of the medieval archaeologist Joachim Zeune and the State Office for the Preservation of Monuments, the renovation of the castle ruins is often criticized as too rustic. Numerous modern fixtures enable the masonry to be climbed. Zeune was obviously unable to implement his concept of a gentle, only conservative castle renovation ( Hohenfreyberg Castle ) here.

  • The modern wooden bridge with the main castle

  • Looking back south to the outer bailey

  • The north-west wall of the inner castle, reinforced like a shield wall

literature

Web links

Commons : Burg Alt-Trauchburg  - Collection of images, videos and audio files