Michelstadt Castle

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Michelstadt Castle
The main building from the ramparts seen from the southeast

The main building from the ramparts seen from the southeast

Alternative name (s): Michelstadt winery
Creation time : before 1344
Castle type : City castle
Conservation status: Restored
Place: Michelstadt
Geographical location 49 ° 40 ′ 40.8 "  N , 9 ° 0 ′ 16"  E Coordinates: 49 ° 40 ′ 40.8 "  N , 9 ° 0 ′ 16"  E
Michelstadt Castle (Hesse)
Michelstadt Castle

The Burg Michelstadt also frequently and declining trend winery called, is a former city castle in Michelstadt in Odenwald in Hessen .

The castle emerged from a Franconian farmyard ; its predecessor, dating from the 10th century, was destroyed in 1307. The present area was originally just the outer bailey , the former core bailey has not been preserved. Today's facility is essentially the result of reconstruction work in the 14th century and various building measures in the 16th and 17th centuries.

The facility was bought by the city of Michelstadt in 1970, renovated in the following years and is now the seat of the Michelstadt City Museum, among other things . The cellar of the warehouse building is occasionally used for cultural events and various markets or as a concert hall during the “Michelstädter Musiknacht”.

View into the moat with the rear of the main building and theft
View into the courtyard of the central storage building, on the left the southern main building and on the right the former official building on the north side
View of the theft, inside of the city wall. A copy of the Mercurius relief can be seen above the loopholes.
Original of the Mercurius relief in the museum

History and building history

Although not secured by excavations or documents, it can probably be assumed that an Alemannic noble farm was originally located on the site of the current complex . The Michelstadt chamber property came into the possession of Bishop Burkhart von Würzburg by donation in 741 , and after his death it returned to the crown. It should have existed as a Franconian Meierhof. Einhard received the Michelstadt mark for his services from Emperor Ludwig the Pious on January 11, 815 as a gift. Einhard himself had buildings and apartments built so that after taking possession of the complex, it can be seen as a “fortified manor house”. It is possible that he wrote parts of his main work here, the Vita Karoli Magni . By decree in his will, when Einhard died in 840, his property fell to the Lorsch monastery . One of the abbots of this monastery, Abbot Gerbodo von Lorsch , had a stone house built there around or after 950. In the Codex Laureshamensis the place is called castellum Michelnstat . It is doubtful whether the outer wall to the so-called Storchenwinkel or Diebsturm, still known today as the Gerbodomauer , actually dates from this time. The structure is more reminiscent of a work from the late 14th century and is similar to the eastern part of the city fortifications of Hirschhorn on the Neckar side , construction of which began in 1392. During an excavation in 1938, Philipp Buxbaum found the remains of a 7.40 meter wide building in front of the northern, former office building, which was offset by about 90 degrees from it. But he couldn't or didn't want to assign the building. Another excavation in 1982 brought no further results.

In 1307 Count Palatine Rudolf I destroyed the town and castle in the course of the conflict between the Electoral Palatinate and Electoral Mainz . From the Palatine Regesten shows that the plant probably from the mid-13th century split Michelstädter sidelines of the taverns of Erbach had been expanded into a castle. At that time it was occupied by castle men. During excavations in the courtyard area of ​​the winery in 1981, a trench was discovered which was backfilled with debris. The backfilling can be synchronized with the destruction of 1307.

The Erbacher Schenken had undertaken in 1321 that they would “not make a Burklichen Buw to Michelstadt over two years”, that is, that no new complex should be built for two years, but obviously rebuilt the castle very quickly afterwards, as it was already in 1344 an existing castle is reported. Schenk Eberhard IV. Should have been the client . In 1388 an Irmela von Dürn, widow of a Diether Rauch, sold her property, which consisted of house and yard in the Michelstädter Burg, to the Erbach tavern for 200 guilders. What is remarkable is that although she or her husband were probably fiefs of the Erbacher Schenken, the property in the castle was an allod . This persisted in spite of the imposed feudal sovereignty, as in all subsequent feudal deeds concerning the castle the holdings sold by the widow were excluded. In a later feudal letter it says: "Michelstadt, half of the city, except for the farm, which was bought by Diether Rauch".

From around 1390 to 1395 or around 1400, the city was surrounded by the city wall, some of which is still preserved today , in which the castle was so far included that it was connected to it in two places. Schenk Valentin moved into the castle in 1515 , although he died that same year. The complex changed noticeably with the construction of new buildings from 1517, primarily for residential and administrative purposes, probably mostly under Count Georg I. zu Erbach . The facility is mentioned for the first time in a document from 1532.

It is not entirely clear when the actual main castle was laid down. It is assumed that this took place around the time the city wall was built, but no later than 1515. Thomas Steinmetz suspects that the remains of the core castle are now in the area of ​​the city wall.

investment

Main building on the south side

The main building, possibly the former palace of the castle in the south of the rectangular courtyard, bears the date 1506. It stands with its back to the city wall and originally consisted of three older parts, which were finally brought together under one roof. The shape of the half-timbering in the central building points to the 16th century, the side wings were added in the 17th and 18th centuries. A passage was recognized in 1986 in a walled tower in the main building that had been known for a long time. The vault indicates that a drawbridge was attached from the outside . This would also indicate that in the wall area, which is still elevated today, outside the city wall, there was a core castle in the form of a city ​​castle , which today has been removed except for suspected remains.

The building has a wall thickness of 1.60 meters in the area of ​​the city wall, which decreases to 1.45 meters towards the east wing. The middle wing of the building is occupied by a 5.75 × 5.00 meter room in the basement, which is spanned by a barrel vault. The originally existing pointed arch gate was later lined with facing masonry and since then has only offered space for one arched door and one window.

Initially used as a residence, the main building later served as the widow's seat of the Erbacher Countesses and ultimately - until it was sold to the city - as a community school .

Speicherbau, western side

The warehouse building in the west of the castle courtyard now houses the museum. It has a high vaulted cellar on seven mighty sandstone pillars . Its upper floors were heavily rebuilt inside. Outside there is a double flight of stairs , on the parapet the alliance coat of arms of Count Georg I von Erbach and his wife Elisabeth von der Pfalz as well as the year 1539. It probably only refers to the construction of the staircase itself, the building with the dimensions 37 × 13 meters is significantly older, in parts possibly from the 13th century. The year 1517 can be found on the north gable .

The building served as a tithe barn for centuries . The retaining walls facing the Diebsturm date from the late Middle Ages and are very similar to the outer wall of the main castle at Breuberg Castle .

Since May 2014, the Odenwaldkreis model railway enthusiasts have been building a model railway layout in H0 gauge on the top floor . The theme of the layout is the Odenwaldbahn .

Former office building, north side

This building was the actual count's "cellar", ie the office building as the seat of the count's administration, from which the entire castle received its later name. The three dates 1501, 1549 and 1621 that can be seen there show that this part of the castle has been rebuilt on various occasions. A vault on the ground floor indicates that a late Gothic chapel may have been housed here. Wolfram cup takes account of the low level of today abortion bay window on the north outside that originally also a surrounding moat was who would from over flowing stream Kilian Floss can be fed.

Former coach house, now mill, east side

View of the former Remise - now containing the technology of the former Kainsbacher Mühle - seen from the castle courtyard.

On the east side is the building of the former coach house of the castle, which has served the residents of the castle for centuries as a shelter for carriages and for storing saddles and bridles. The building was in the meantime dilapidated and in need of renovation. A private association renovated the building and built a complete, functional mill by 1993. It concerns the inner workings of the Kainsbacher Mühle, first mentioned in a document in 1426 as a Bannmühle . Expansion of the milling operations, such as the increase in the number of mills from one to three and the necessary expansion of the Bieth, took place in the 18th century. The mill was in operation in Kainsbach until 1956 and was driven there by water power; today it is driven by an electric motor. The mill can be visited on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sunday afternoons without an entrance fee.

Theft

View of the grinding floor on the 1st floor of the former Kainsbacher Mühle. In the foreground (black) a roller mill from the late 19th century. Behind the grist and at the very back the grind.

The Diebsturm to the west of the granary building probably still belonged to the old castle complex and thus comes from the 13th century. It got its name because it served as a center prison. The lower floor was walled up completely closed and had neither door nor window. The prisoners were lowered into this room with a rope from the floor above. The old hood of the tower was removed in 1798, the current one with half-timbering is modern. An ancient Roman Mercurius relief was walled up at a height of about ten meters . Today there is only a copy because the original is on display on the first floor of the museum. Due to its disproportionation and the squat depiction, the figure suggests a "poorly trained, local" stonemason.

literature

  • Thomas Steinmetz: The town castle of the taverns of Erbach in Michelstadt. In: The Odenwald . Journal of the Breuberg Association . No. 1, 1989, ISSN  0029-8360 , pp. 18-27.
  • Thomas Steinmetz: Castles in the Odenwald . Ellen Schmid, Brensbach 1998, ISBN 3-931529-02-9 .
  • Thomas Steinmetz: The castles in Michelstadt. In: The Odenwald. Zeitschrift des Breuberg-Bundes 32/4, 1985, pp. 115-132.
  • Wolfram Becher: Michelstadt and Erbach . Hermann Emig, Amorbach 1980.
  • Philipp Buxbaum: Michelstadt in words and pictures . Börsig, Darmstadt without year.
  • Hans-Joachim Dinger: The Kainsbacher Mühle in the Remise of the Michelstädter Kellerei , publisher: Förderkreis Historisches Michelstadt, Michelstadt 2002
  • City of Michelstadt (ed.): Michelstadt picture portfolio . Jedermann-Verlag, Heidelberg 1979, ISBN 3-920506-04-9 , sheet Die Michelstädter Burg .
  • City of Michelstadt (Ed.): The city church Michelstadt from 1490 . Michelstadt 1991, ISBN 3-924583-13-7 ( Town Hall and Museum Series . Volume 9).
  • Thomas Ludwig, Otto Müller, Irmgard Widdra-Spiess: The Einhards Basilica in Steinbach near Michelstadt in the Odenwald . 2 volumes. Von Zabern, Mainz 1996, ISBN 3-8053-1322-5 .
  • Rudolf Knappe: Medieval castles in Hessen. 800 castles, castle ruins and fortifications. 3. Edition. Wartberg-Verlag, Gudensberg-Gleichen 2000, ISBN 3-86134-228-6 , p. 553.
  • Rolf Müller (Ed.): Palaces, castles, old walls. Published by the Hessendienst der Staatskanzlei, Wiesbaden 1990, ISBN 3-89214-017-0 , pp. 251f.
  • Egon Schallmayer in: Dietwulf Baatz and Fritz-Rudolf Herrmann (eds.): The Romans in Hessen . Licensed edition 2002. Nikol, Hamburg 2002, ISBN 3-933203-58-9 , p. 431.

Web links

Commons : Kellerei Michelstadt  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Wolfram Becher: Michelstadt and Erbach , p. 53.
  2. ↑ a b c d e f Philipp Buxbaum: Michelstadt in words and pictures , p. 25.
  3. ↑ Thomas Ludwig, Otto Müller, Irmgard Widdra-Spiess: The Einhards Basilica in Steinbach near Michelstadt in the Odenwald , p. 24.
  4. ↑ Thomas Ludwig, Otto Müller, Irmgard Widdra-Spiess: The Einhards Basilica in Steinbach near Michelstadt in the Odenwald , p. 26.
  5. ↑ a b City of Michelstadt (ed.): Michelstadt picture portfolio , sheet Die Michelstädter Burg .
  6. ↑ Thomas Ludwig, Otto Müller, Irmgard Widdra-Spiess: The Einhards Basilica in Steinbach near Michelstadt in the Odenwald , p. 27.
  7. ↑ Thomas Steinmetz: Burgen im Odenwald , p. 84.
  8. ↑ Quoted in: Thomas Steinmetz: Burgen im Odenwald , p. 94.
  9. ↑ a b Wolfram Becher: Michelstadt and Erbach , p. 55.
  10. ↑ Quoted in: Wolfram Becher: Michelstadt and Erbach , p. 55.
  11. ↑ a b c Thomas Steinmetz: Burgen im Odenwald , p. 95.
  12. ↑ Thomas Steinmetz: The town castle of the taverns of Erbach in Michelstadt , p. 18-27.
  13. ↑ Wolfram Becher: Michelstadt and Erbach , p. 59.
  14. ^ Förderkreis Historisches Michelstadt eV (Ed.): Historic grain mill - formerly watermill from 1426 in the Odenwald , information leaflet, Michelstadt 2012
  15. ^ Philipp Buxbaum: Michelstadt in words and pictures , p. 28.
  16. ^ Egon Schallmayer in: Dietwulf Baatz and Fritz-Rudolf Herrmann: Die Römer in Hessen , p. 431; Dating first half of the 3rd century AD: Marion Mattern: Roman stone monuments from Hesse south of the Main and from the Bavarian part of the Main Limes. Corpus Signorum Imperii Romani . Germany Volume 2.13, Mainz 2005, Verlag des Romisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseums; Commissioned by Habelt, Bonn, ISBN 3-88467-091-3 , p. 191 and plate 126.