Gleichenstein Castle (Thuringia)

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Gleichenstein Castle
Gate to the main castle

Gate to the main castle

Alternative name (s): Velseck, Felseck
Creation time : 1100 to 1200
Castle type : Hilltop castle
Conservation status: Preserved essential parts
Standing position : Clerical
Place: Waxed
Geographical location 51 ° 17 '32.6 "  N , 10 ° 12' 23"  E Coordinates: 51 ° 17 '32.6 "  N , 10 ° 12' 23"  E
Height: 459.7  m above sea level NHN
Gleichenstein Castle (Thuringia)
Gleichenstein Castle

The castle Gleichenstein , formerly Velseck or Felseck is called a hilltop castle on the Schlossberg between the community Wachstedt and the village Martinsfeld the community Schimberg in the district Eichsfeld in Thuringia .

Geographical location

The Gleichenstein Castle is located on the 459.7  m high Schloßberg, a spur-like foothill of the Bornberg ( 463.4  m ) on the edge of the Upper Limestone slab between Heilbad Heiligenstadt in the north-west, Mühlhausen in the south-east and the Hessian Eschwege in the south-west. The steep slopes to the south, west and north offered a natural protection for the castle complex, only the narrow mountain ridge in the east had to be secured by defensive structures. It is located about 3 km west of waxedt and 1.8 km east-northeast of Martinfeld. In terms of traffic, it can be reached via a spur road that branches off from Landesstraße 1006 between Wachsedt and Flinsberg , or on foot from the Klüschen Hagis pilgrimage church , which is near the L 2022 (Wachsedt – Martinfeld); The steep Eselsweg leads up north of the road. One of the centers of Germany is located a few kilometers away in Flinsberg. The castle was supplied with water via the Eselsborn down in the valley at Klüschen Hagis.

From the terrace of the castle grounds you have a view (Blue Wonder) of Martinfeld in the Rosoppetal with the Schimberg and parts of the southern Eichsfeld up to the Gobert (currently only accessible on special days or by arrangement with the owner).

history

The Schloßberg on the right with the Gleichenstein Castle

In place of the current high medieval Gleichenstein Castle, an older, larger castle complex, secured by a wide neck ditch, stood at the same place, possibly an imperial castle to protect the royal court in Martinfeld located in the Rosoppetal. It is not known exactly when this first castle was built. It can be assumed that Velsecke Castle, mentioned at the end of the 12th century, was the predecessor of Gleichenstein Castle. Velsecke Castle was first mentioned in a document in 1180, where a knight Edelger d. J. von Velshecke was named as a witness. When exactly the castle was in the possession of the Counts of Gleichen is not documented, from around 1200 Ernst III called himself. and from 1234 Heinrich I. von Velsecke. In 1209 a Berthold von Velsecke was named again as a witness. The castle was destroyed in 1234 in disputes between the Archbishop of Mainz and the Thuringian Landgraves by Landgrave Heinrich Raspe . The 23-man crew of the castle was killed or beheaded.

From 1241 to 1246 the castle was rebuilt as a replacement for the old castle under the name Burg Gleichenstein, presumably by Heinrich I von Gleichen, from then on he called himself von Gleichenstein . The first mention of Gleichenstein Castle was in 1287. From 1294 until 1802 it was owned by the Archbishops of Mainz and for 500 years it was the official and court seat of the Kurmainzische administration of Eichsfeld, whose main seat was at Rusteberg Castle . The castle was not attacked by the rebels during the Peasants' War. In 1632 the castle was conquered by Swedish troops under Bernhard von Weimar , razed in 1643 and completely destroyed in 1648. In 1650 the castle was rebuilt, but without elaborate defensive bastions. In 1802 the castle came to Prussia , in 1816 to the Thuringian district of Mühlhausen and in 1952 to the district of Worbis . In the 19th century, the private owners and tenants changed very frequently, most recently until the expropriation in 1946 Dr. Wolfgang von Schutzbar called Milchling zu Hohenhaus .

With the land reform, the castle was expropriated and handed over to the state. From the spring of 1946, extensive plans for the conversion to an orphanage were drawn up and partially implemented. In 1947 the entire castle complex was supposed to be blown up, which was prevented by the dedicated managers of the complex. A youth workshop and other state institutions were then temporarily housed in the castle and in 1967 it became the property of VEB Sachsenring Zwickau . The automobile plant renovated the castle and used it as a holiday and recreation center until 1991. From 1994 to 2005 it housed a castle restaurant and a falconry . In March 2018 the company Hanf-Gedöns GmbH acquired the castle as its headquarters and wants to convert parts of the castle into a food factory, set up a museum and reconstruct and renovate essential parts of the castle.

Kurmainzisches Amt Gleichenstein

The Gleichenstein office in 1759
Old linden tree at Gleichenstein Castle

After the castle Gleichenstein and the villages belonging to it passed into the possession of Kurmainz, the Kurmainzische Amt Gleichenstein emerged from the castle district. The office included a total of 16 villages (from Kalteneber in the northwest to Beberstedt in the northeast and Büttstedt in the southeast), the monasteries Zella (with Struth and Effelder) and Anrode (with Bickenriede and Bebendorf), Kreuzebra later came to the office of Rusteberg . Furthermore, the noble places Bernterode (von Tastungen, later von Ostheim) and Martinfeld ( von Bodungen ) were assigned to the Amt Gleichenstein , as well as a multitude of places that no longer exist today ( Werdigeshausen , Wolkramshausen, Kirchberg ). The place of jurisdiction was already under the Counts of Gleichenstein and the Electors of Mainz in Dingelstädt until at least 1534. Judgment was then either at the castle, perhaps even in the so-called Gerichtslinde or judge Linde near the castle. The prison was located in the keep of the core castle, which was blown up in 1648, but the trunk of the tower with the prison was preserved until the beginning of the 20th century. The exact location of the execution site is not known at the height between Wachstedt and the new house but the corridor area is gallows pieces mentioned. The authority consisted mainly of the following people: the magistrate, the magistrate, the actuary, the clerk and the official officer. The official seat was moved back to Dingelstädt in the 18th century.

The following castle men, officials or bailiffs are known:

  • 1193 Bertold von Velsecke (for the previous castle)
  • 1288 Bruno von Berlingerode
  • 1288 Dietrich, Steben and Henrich von Tastungen, Henrich von Kirchberg
  • 1294 Knight Ludwig von Pöllwitz (first Elector of Mainz bailiff)
  • 1299 Friedrich von Rosdorf together with Dietrich von Hardenberg
  • Conrad von Siemerode, Vogt
  • 1330 Lutolf von Schlotheim (Slatheym) and Rodegere von dem Hagen (deme Hayne)
  • 1330 Knights Johannes von Hardenberg, Ernst von Uslar, Bertold von Worbis and the nobleman Johannes von Wintzingerode
  • 1336 Frederich von Wangenheim
  • 1337 Bertold von Worbis
  • 1338 Johann von Wintzingerode
  • 1339 Otto von Kirchberg
  • 1347 Konrad von Ammern and 1368 Heinrich von Ammern
  • 1358 Dietrich and Walther (1358), the sons of Apels von Tastungen, receive the castle loan in Gleichenstein
  • 1386 Wezel von Lengefeld
  • 1446 Henrich von Kirchberg with 3 castle fiefs
  • 1464 Henrich von Bodungen
  • 1469 Werner von Hanstein
  • 1522 Heinrich Heinefetter
  • 1524–1532 Matthäus Hundborn
  • 1536–1575 Marcus Keulen
  • 1574–1583 Johannes Pein
  • 1598 Johann Elgot
  • 1607–1630 Adam Hartung
  • 1630–1632 Klemenz Friday
  • 1635–1661 Matthias Jordans
  • 1661–1672 John Jordans
  • 1674–1711 Johann Joachim Jordans
  • 1712–1715 Johann Gerhard Jordans
  • 1715–1722 Johann Michael Strecker
  • 1722–1763 Christoph Matthias Jordans
  • 1736–1784 Peter Anton Jordans
  • 1784–1793 Franz Christoph Kellner
  • 1793–1802 Franz Wilhelm Hentrich

Gut Gleichenstein

After the Thirty Years' War , the Gleichenstein became a chamber property and was leased in the Kurmainzer period. The district also included the "Neues Haus" farm on the road to Flinsberg and a sheep farm near Klüschen. With the incorporation of the Eichsfeld by the Kingdom of Prussia , the estate became a Prussian state domain. It was administered by the Eichsfeld-Erfurt War and Domain Chamber . The castle, the Vorwerk Neuhaus and Hagis formed their own parish until 1820. The owners and tenants of the castle and the estate changed more and more frequently from the middle of the 19th century. Due to the altitude with the poor soils and the harsh climate, an economical operation of the property was not possible. Some owners therefore had to sell land, the size of the property decreased from 235 hectares in 1854 to 86 hectares in 1946. In 1946 the property was expropriated and distributed to two new farms and farmers in waxedt, a new farm was built in the area of ​​the old outer bailey.

Structural system

The castle complex has a core castle around a triangular courtyard with a palace in the south, a late Gothic pointed arch portal in the west and the knight's hall in the north. In between was the keep , which served as a prison until the 18th century and was completely demolished in the 20th century. From the large farmyard (inner outer bailey) with the various buildings only remains of the wall exist. Previously, the castle was three moats surrounded, one of which has disappeared and the other two are no longer present in their original size, the actual front castle with its tower can be seen only on the terrain relief. After the destruction of the Thirty Years' War, only remnants remain of the medieval building structure. The castle, which was partially rebuilt on foundations without fortifications and a drawbridge, was rebuilt and changed several times in the following centuries. The round tower at the entrance to the castle was built in the 1880s instead of a square tower. Several smaller outbuildings, a laundry room and a bed block were built between the entrance gate and the inner courtyard. The second gate at the Zwinger was also removed during these renovations and the third gate was rebuilt and a reading room and a winter garden were newly built on it. In 1932 the large granary at the southern end of the castle burned down completely; today there is a view of the “Blue Wonder”. The fountain is located in the courtyard of the castle .

Castle fountain

A fountain in the castle was mentioned as early as 1648, but its location was not known in the recent past.

Rediscovered castle fountain in the inner courtyard of the main castle

In 2019 the medieval castle fountain was rediscovered in the inner courtyard. This was probably backfilled and covered around 1884 after the completion of the water supply from the valley using hydraulic rams . The depth is estimated to be at least 70 m, since claystone was found as filling material in the floor of the vaulted cellar of the core castle, which only occurs at this depth at the site. The well, which was initially (presumably) filled, is currently 26 m deep and 2.25 m in diameter and was sunk into the massive rock.

The top of the fountain is walled up with stone blocks approx. 1.5 m. Probably after the castle was destroyed in the Thirty Years' War, another meter of rubble was built up. The well does not have any water at the current depth.

Since the supply of the castle, the outer bailey and the farm yard with sufficient drinking water from the castle fountain was not always guaranteed, there were several donkeys at the castle for centuries to transport water from the donkey spring at Klüschen Hagis over the donkey path up to the castle.

literature

  • Hans Krumbholz: castles, palaces, parks and gardens. 3. Edition. Tourist-Verlag, Berlin 1988, ISBN 3-350-00285-4 (EA Berlin 1984).
  • Eduard Fritze: Gleichenstein Castle 1246–1996. Self-published, Wachsedt 1996, OCLC 174696808 .
  • Eduard Fritze; Gunter Görner: Chronicle of the CASTLE GLEICHENSTEIN in Eichsfeld. Verlag Rockstuhl, Bad Langensalza 2020, ISBN 978-3-95966-472-1 .
  • Helmut Godehardt: Land tax payer from the villages of the Gleichenstein office and the Duderstädter Kespeldörfern in 1547/48. In: Eichsfeld yearbook. 15, 2007, pp. 29-41.
  • A. Ortmann: The oldest list of residents of the Electoral Mainz office of Gleichenstein. in: Unser Eichsfeld 20 (1925), pp. 46–50, 102–106.
  • C. Völker: An income and goods directory of the Mainz Castle Gleichenstein from the year 1358. in: Unser Eichsfeld 33 (1938), pp. 244-256, 272-279.
  • Johan Wolf, Karl Löffler: Political history of the Eichsfeld. Duderstadt 1921, pp. 103-115.

Web links

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

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Paul Grimm, Wolfgang Timpel: The prehistoric and early historical fortifications of the Worbis district. In: Eichsfelder Heimathefte. Special edition, Worbis 1966, pp. 19, 20, 64.
  2. ↑ Peter Bühner: Mühlhausen in Eichsfeld? The Counts of Gleichen as Burgraves of Mühlhausen. In: Eichsfeld yearbook 2007. Mecke, Duderstadt, p. 9.
  3. ↑ Eduard Fritze: Gleichenstein Castle 1246–1996. Self-published, Wachsedt 1996, p. 11.
  4. ^ Johann Wolf: Political History of the Eichsfeldes. Volume 1, Göttingen 1792, pp. 135-139.
  5. ^ Johann Wolf: Memories of the market town Dingelstädt in the Harz department, District Heiligenstadt. Göttingen 1812, pp. 7-9.
  6. ↑ Gustav Reischel and Louis Koch: Historical map of the district of Heiligenstadt. Halberstadt graphic institute 1908
  7. ^ Burg Gleichenstein on the Dingelstädt website
  8. ^ Newspaper for the German nobility. 3rd year, No. 76, 1842.
  9. ^ Johann Wolf: Eichsfeldisches Urkundenbuch together with the treatise of the Eichsfeldischen nobility. Göttingen 1819 ( Treatise on the Eichsfeld nobility, as a contribution to its history. Pp. 37–45)
  10. ^ Johann Wolf: Eichsfeldisches Urkundenbuch together with the treatise of the Eichsfeldischen nobility. Göttingen 1819 ( Treatise on the Eichsfeld nobility, as a contribution to its history. Pp. 37–45)
  11. ↑ RIplus Regg. EB Mainz 1,2 n.3109, in: Regesta Imperii Online, URI: regesta-imperii.de (accessed on August 22, 2017)
  12. ↑ RIplus Regg. EB Mainz 1,2 n. 3328, in: Regesta Imperii Online, URI: regesta-imperii.de (accessed on August 22, 2017)
  13. ↑ RIplus Regg. EB Mainz 1,2 n. 3681, in: Regesta Imperii Online, URI: regesta-imperii.de (accessed on August 22, 2017)
  14. ^ Johann Wolf: Eichsfeldisches Urkundenbuch together with the treatise of the Eichsfeldischen nobility. Göttingen 1819 ( Treatise on the Eichsfeld nobility, as a contribution to its history. Pp. 37–45)
  15. ^ Johann Wolf: Memories of the market town of Dingelstädt in the Harz department, Heiligenstadt district. Göttingen 1912, pp. 13-14.
  16. ^ Johann Wolf: Memories of the market town of Dingelstädt in the Harz department, Heiligenstadt district. Göttingen 1912, pp. 13-14.
  17. ↑ Regesta of the Archbishops of Mainz (accessed June 12, 2017)
  18. ^ Johann Wolf: Memories of the market town of Dingelstädt in the Harz department, Heiligenstadt district. Göttingen 1912, pp. 13-14.
  19. ^ Johann Wolf: Memories of the market town of Dingelstädt in the Harz department, Heiligenstadt district. Göttingen 1912, pp. 13-14.
  20. ^ Johann Wolf: Eichsfeldisches Urkundenbuch together with the treatise of the Eichsfeldischen nobility. Göttingen 1819 ( Treatise on the Eichsfeld nobility, as a contribution to its history. Pp. 37–45)
  21. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Bernhard Opfermann : Gestalten des Eichsfeldes. St. Benno-Verlag Leipzig and Verlag FW Cordier Heiligenstadt 1968.
  22. ^ Josef Keppler: Pilgrimage land Eichsfeld. In: Thuringian General. June 2, 2011.
  23. ↑ Eduard Fritze: Gleichenstein Castle 1246–1996. Selbstverlag, Wachsedt 1996, pp. 28-36.