Eltz Castle

Eltz Castle
Eltz Castle, view from the northeast, August 2012
Creation time :	Beginning of the 12th century
Castle type :	Hilltop castle
Conservation status:	completely preserved
Standing position :	Noble
Place:	Wierschem
Geographical location	50 ° 12 '18 "  N , 7 ° 20' 12"  E Coordinates: 50 ° 12 '18 "  N , 7 ° 20' 12"  E
Height:	129  m above sea level NHN

Eltz Castle from a bird's eye view

The Eltz Castle is a hilltop castle from the 12th century. It is located in the valley of the Elz , which separates the Maifeld from the Eifel , south of the village on the district of Wierschem in Rhineland-Palatinate at 129  m above sea level. NHN . The building is one of the most famous castles in Germany. Like Bürresheim Castle and Lissingen Castle , it is one of those fortifications in the Eifel that could never be conquered by force.

history

Founding in the High Middle Ages

Floor plan of Eltz Castle

The castle in the valley of the Elzbach (also: Elz) was probably built at the beginning of the 12th century on a trade route between the Moselle region and the fertile Maifeld . The name Eltz was first mentioned in 1157 in a deed of donation from Frederick I Barbarossa, in which "Rudolfus de Elze" appears as a witness. The late Romanesque keep of Platt-Eltz and the remains of the Romanesque house have been preserved.

The castle is surrounded on three sides by the Elz and rises on an elliptical rock head up to 70 meters high. The builders based the layout on the shape of the rock formation. This resulted in the sometimes unusual floor plans of the individual rooms.

The first tribal division of the Lords of Eltz took place before 1268 under the brothers Elias, Wilhelm and Theoderich, with the castle and the property belonging to it being divided between the three brothers.

• Eltz-Kempenich called "Eltz from the golden lion"
• Eltz-Rübenach called "Eltz of the silver lion"
• Eltz-Rodendorf called "Eltz of the Buffalo Horns"

Northeast view

The names of the main lines come from the wives by marriage who came from Kempenich Castle , Rübenach and Rodendorf (today Château-Rouge , Moselle department, Lorraine). All families then remained at the castle in a community of heirs ; Eltz Castle was henceforth a Ganerbeburg , on which the parts of the castle bear the names of the partial lines.

With the purchase of Baron von Eltz-Rübenach's share (silver lion), the family castle became the sole property of the main line of counts and nobles from and to Eltz, called Faust von Stromberg (Eltz-Kempenich; golden lion).

Connection to Münstermaifeld

There was a connection with Münstermaifeld over the centuries. The Eltz gentlemen were active in the administration of the city throughout the late Middle Ages. In the former collegiate church Münstermaifeld there are Eltz graves, the epitaphs of the couple Cuno von Eltz and Ella von Esch, two basalt relief plates, the marble grave of Nikolaus von Eltz and his wife Maria von Hoort as well as a marble monument for their son Johann are particularly artistic Wilhelm Antonius Bertramus Lord of Eltz, Canon of Trier. The von Eltz sons were canons in the Münstermaifeld Monastery for centuries. Lothar von Eltz, who was elected the rightful “Praepositus” in the chapter on “Monster Meynfelt” in 1267, became known through a dispute with the Pope that lasted for many decades. Elias von Eltz (1331–1347) was one of the most energetic pen sprays in Münstermaifeld.

Conflict with Baldwin of Trier

Eltz Castle and Trutzeltz Castle , right

In the years 1331–1336 there were the only serious armed conflicts over the castle. During the Eltz feud , the Eltz lords, together with other free imperial knights, opposed the territorial policy of Archbishop and Elector Baldwin of Trier . For the siege and a possible capture of Eltz Castle by catapult fire , the Archbishop of Trier had the Trutzeltz siege castle built on a rocky promontory on the slope above the castle, which today has only a few ruins . The besieged could hold out for two years, but then had to give up. The free imperial knights had to renounce their imperial freedom. Baldwin reappointed Johann burgrave, but as his subjects and no longer as a free knight.

Early modern age

The Elzbach and Eltz Castle

The name Eltz-Rodendorf goes back to the marriage of Hans Adolf zu Eltz with Katharine von Brandscheid zu Rodendorf in 1563. In addition, through marriage he acquired the rule of Rodendorf in the Lothringer Amt Busendorf (today: Bouzonville ).

Between 1490 and 1540, the later so-called Rodendorfer houses were built on Eltz Castle. The courtyard front of the houses opens up with a vaulted porch resting on three pillars. Next to her is a Madonna mosaic from the 19th century that is inlaid in the outer wall.

Jakob III, born in 1510 . von Eltz was one of the most important electors in the history of the Archdiocese of Trier . Jakob zu Eltz became canon in 1525 , capitular in 1535 and dean of Trier in 1547 . He was also rector of the University of Trier from 1564 . Finally he was elected archbishop in Koblenz in 1567 .

The Kempenich houses were built between 1604 and 1661. With their architectural composition and their structured half-timbering, they complete the overall impression of the inner courtyard. Under the powerful stair tower one was well built that served the water supply of the entire castle.

The construction work was intensified and brought to a close by Hans Jakob zu Eltz and his wife Anna Elisabeth von Metzenhausen. On July 15, 1624, Hans Jakob zu Eltz was entrusted with the office of Trier Hereditary Marshal. He was the supreme command and leadership of the Trier knighthood.

In the period from 1665 to 1743 the Eltz family in the Kurstaat Mainz achieved their greatest influence. Philipp Karl von Eltz , born in 1665, entered the German-Hungarian college in Rome in 1686 . After the death of the Elector of Mainz, Philipp Karl was elected as his successor. He was thus spiritual leader and the most powerful church prince north of the Alps.

Time from the Palatinate War of Succession to French rule

In the Palatinate War of Succession from 1688 to 1689, most of the Rhenish castles were destroyed. Since Hans Anton zu Eltz-Üttingen was a high-ranking officer in the French army, he was able to save Eltz Castle from destruction.

Count Hugo Philipp zu Eltz was treated as an emigrant during the French rule on the Rhine from 1794 to 1815. His possessions on the Rhine and near Trier were confiscated. Eltz Castle and the associated goods were subordinate to the commandant's office in Koblenz.

When it later turned out that Count Hugo Philipp had not emigrated but stayed in Mainz, he came back to use his goods and pensions in 1797. He became the sole owner of the castle in 1815 through the purchase of the Rübenach house and the property of the barons of Eltz-Rübenach.

Eltz Castle around 1900

Restoration of the castle in the 19th century

In the 19th century, Count Karl zu Eltz was very committed to the restoration of his castle. In the period from 1845 to 1888, the sum of 184,000 marks was invested in the extensive construction work. According to today's purchasing power, this corresponds to around 15 million euros. He proceeded carefully and took the existing architecture into account.

Fire of 1920

On September 20, 1920, a fire broke out in the southern part of the Kempenich house and spread to other parts of the building. In particular, the chapel building and the archive above, the furnishings of the Kempenich house and the ten upper rooms of the Rodendorf house were destroyed. This was followed by reconstruction work (chapel and Rodendorf house) and restorations in the Kempenich house, which were initially completed in 1930.

Securing and renovation (2009 to 2012)

Eltz Castle, 2016

Extensive safety and restoration work took place between 2009 and 2012. Among other things, the vault of the flag hall was endangered because of the diverging walls, and the porch of the Kempenich house was statically secured. In addition to these static repairs, almost all slate roofs were renewed. In the roof structures, structural problems were resolved and wood pests were combated. Inside, the heating and sanitary facilities, windows and fire alarm systems were renewed and the historic plaster, half-timbered facades and a spiral staircase were restored. The renovation costs totaled around 4.4 million euros. The measures were funded, among other things, by a grant from the federal government's economic stimulus package with 2 million euros. The state of Rhineland-Palatinate, the German Foundation for Monument Protection and the owners made further funds available.

Award for Graeflich Eltz castellany (2014 and 2015)

In 2014, the Oskar Patzelt Foundation recognized the 850-year-old company as a finalist in the Grand Prix of Medium-Sized Enterprises , and in 2015 it was named a winner. The laudation emphasizes: "The company never aimed at maximizing profits or short-term luxury for the respective owners, but rather at the long-term preservation of the castle and the Eltzer lands. This has been achieved over the centuries thanks to the commitment to sustainability and limitation to what is necessary and always close connection with the region. "

owner

The castle has been owned by the family of the same name for more than 800 years. Your current owner, Karl Graf and Edler Herr von und zu Eltz-Kempenich, called Faust von Stromberg, lives in Frankfurt am Main and on the Eltzer Hof in Eltville am Rhein . He took on the task of keeping the castle open to the public, safeguarding its substance and passing it on to the 34th generation.

sightseeing

Firearms collection

Part of the castle can be visited in the summer months. Guided tours are offered daily between April 1st and November 1st.

The facility, which has been brought together from the family property from different centuries, presents itself to the visitor as a museum in the area open to the public. B. in Rübenacher home a decorated in the 19th century collection of weapons, a salon and a bedchamber with the chapel bay window of 1531 and four-poster bed of 1520. In Rodendorf House leadership passes through a furnished with baroque and rococo furniture fireplace room, the so-called Knight's Hall , originally as The negotiation and ballroom of all three family lines served, a children's room with one of the last remaining, painted Renaissance beds from 1525 and one of the original three kitchens. The Kempenicher Haus is excluded from the tour.

The outstanding art treasures of the interiors include the oil painting Madonna with Child and Bunch of Grapes by Lucas Cranach the Elder , several panel paintings from the Cologne and Saxon Schools, a book picture Liber Vitae ( attributed to Michael Pacher or his school) and Flemish tapestries from the 16th and 17th centuries 17th century. Among the furnishings in the taste of the 19th century include a striking majolica - tiled in bright colors from 1881 (replica of the original in the Germanisches Museum in Nuremberg from 1540) as well as extensive collections of Chinese and Delft porcelain and ceramic Westerwald.

Exhibit in the treasury

The masterpieces of the art collection with over 500 exhibits from the 12th to the 19th century are exhibited in the treasury in the cellar vaults of the Rübenach house. The works of the Augsburg gold and silversmith's art include a 1.10 m high statue of the bridge saint Johannes Nepomuk by Franz Christoph Mäderl (1752), Diana on the stag (around 1600) as well as numerous ceremonial vessels and sacred objects. There is a Höchst porcelain collection, a clock collection from the 16th to 18th centuries and a small glass collection. In addition, various curiosities such as B. the ducat shit , the monster and gluttony are shown promoted by alcoholism, which served as vessels and containers. Some furnishings from Eltz Castle in Vukovar are also presented in the treasure chamber , for example a dinner service from the Augarten porcelain factory .

Pictorial reception

1 mark emergency note

1-mark emergency note from 1921

Eltz Castle was depicted on the back of the 1-Mark emergency money note from the city of Münstermaifeld from 1921.

500 DM banknote

Back of the 500 DM note

In the third series of Deutsche Mark banknotes , the 500 DM banknote had an image of Eltz Castle on the reverse.

40 pfennig postage stamp

→ Main article : Castles and palaces (definitive series)

On February 16, 1977 , a 40-pfennig postage stamp with the motif Burg Eltz appeared in the castles and castles stamp series issued by the Deutsche Bundespost and Deutsche Bundespost Berlin .

Traffic signs

Eltz Castle is used in the traffic sign catalog of the StVO as an example for the traffic sign No. 386.1 Tourist information .

Monument protection

Eltz Castle is a protected cultural monument under the Monument Protection Act (DSchG) and entered in the list of monuments of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate . It is located in the Burg Eltz monument zone .

Furthermore, Eltz Castle is a protected cultural asset according to the Hague Convention and is marked with the blue and white trademark.

literature

• Jens Friedhoff : Eltz Castle near Moselkern. Notes on the destruction of the castle by fire and the reconstruction of the castle from 1920 to 1930 , in: Yearbook for West German State History 41 (2015), pp. 443–464.
• Fritz Michel : Eltz Castle and its owners. In: Journal for local history of the administrative district Coblenz, issue 13, January 1921 [1]
• Heinrich Neu (arr.): The art monuments of the Mayen district . Düsseldorf 1943, ISBN 3-590-32144-X , pp. 48-73.
• Ute Ritzenhofen: Burg Eltz , Deutscher Kunstverlag (2017), 5th edition, ISBN 978-3-422-02443-4
• Ferdinand Wilhelm Emil Roth : History of the Lords and Counts of Eltz - with special consideration of the line from the Golden Lion of Eltz. Wallau, Mainz 1889, digitized edition of the University and State Library Düsseldorf , Volume 1 and Volume 2 .

40-Pfennig postage stamp
Link to the picture
(Please note copyrights )

Sign 386-1 (official example)

Web links

Commons : Burg Eltz  - Collection of Images

• www.burg-eltz.de
• Entry on Eltz Castle in the scientific database " EBIDAT " of the European Castle Institute
• Entry on Eltz Castle in the private database "Alle Burgen".
• The Elzbachtal and Eltz Castle
• A count hovers over his castle , article about the restoration of Eltz Castle at Monumente Online
• Eltz Castle (PDF file; 263 kB) in the Alexander Duncker Collection
• Eltz Castle at Burgenarchiv.de
• Eltz Castle as a Museum ( ISIL )

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Mittelrheinisches Urkundenbuch, Volume 1; No. 599 and 567
2. ↑ ^{a b c} “Nobility obliges - A noble family through the ages”. (PDF; 168 kB) Retrieved September 27, 2012 (Triangelis Article No. 27 of July 8, 2010). 
3. ↑ Burg Eltz: History burg-eltz.de
4. ↑ Jens Friedhoff: Eltz Castle near Moselkern. Notes on the destruction of the castle by fire and the reconstruction of the castle from 1920 to 1930. pp. 443–464.
5. ^ Eltz Castle is being extensively restored monumente-online.de, December 2010.
6. ↑ Burg Eltz receives two million euros from economic stimulus package II Press release of the Federal Ministry for Transport, Building and Urban Development, June 1, 2012 (archived website).
7. ↑ Outstanding monument - Gräflich Eltz'sche Kastellanei wins award in Rhineland-Palatinate / Saarland Laudation in honor of being honored as the winner of the Grand Prize for SMEs
8. ↑ Was Emmerich's brother, who was Hugo's first son. However, Emmerich's only son from his second marriage died too early.
9. ↑ General Directorate for Cultural Heritage Rhineland-Palatinate (ed.): Informational directory of cultural monuments in the Mayen-Koblenz district (PDF; 1.7 MB), Koblenz 2013.