Vianden Castle
| Vianden Castle | ||
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 Vianden Castle |
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| Creation time : | around 1000 to 1100 | |
| Castle type : | Hilltop castle | |
| Conservation status: | Received or received in substantial parts | |
| Standing position : | Count | |
| Place: | Vianden | |
| Geographical location | 49 ° 56 '6 " N , 6 ° 12' 10" E | |
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The Vianden Castle is a medieval fortress in Vianden in the same canton of Vianden in Luxembourg . It is one of the largest preserved castles west of the Rhine.
history
The origin of the entire complex is a Roman fort, dated 360-450 AD. In the 11th century, the imposing castle and most powerful defensive system in Luxembourg experienced greater significance and numerous extensions such as the installation of a decagonal chapel . The occasion was the move of the Lords of Vianden from the Eifel to this place. The Counts of Vianden played an important role under the rulers between the Rhine , Moselle and Maas until the 15th century .
From 1417 until the French Revolution , the castle was owned by the House of Orange-Nassau . In the 17th century the castle was given a Renaissance manor house . It was confiscated during the French Revolution , but returned to Grand Duke William I of Luxembourg in 1815 . Wenzeslas Coster, the town's mayor at the time, bought the castle at auction for 3,200 guilders in 1820. (At the same time, the Burscheid and Esch-Sauer castles were also auctioned.) He sold the castle's materials such as copper roofing, lead glazing, wood paneling and iron fittings, doors and windows, so that the buildings of the castle increasingly fell into disrepair.
Aerial photograph (2017)
Aerial photograph (2017)
Vertical view (2017)
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In 1890, Grand Duke Adolf bought the castle ruins from the older Nassau house for 1,100 guilders and intended to have them rebuilt. However, this did not materialize, so that although the complex remained in the possession of the grand dukes, it continued to fall apart.
It has been gradually restored since its nationalization in 1977 and is open to visitors every day. Its renewal is almost complete, but in small areas it is still going on in the 21st century. The work is scientifically accompanied. The reconstruction work is financed for the most part from EU funds. Also Les Amis du Château de Vianden (Friends of Castle Vianden) bear part to this.
Description of the buildings and the entire facility
The hilltop castle is located above the town of Vianden at an altitude of 310 meters above the River Our . It has an inner wall with corner towers. The living rooms, ballrooms and utility rooms are located within this core castle . The outer wall ring is significantly lower and offers access to the main castle through three consecutive gates. The system is around 85 meters long and 30 meters wide.
It is divided into four floors: the main area includes the weapons hall, an “archaeological crypt”, a small and a large kitchen, a lower chapel, the knights' room, the dining room and the great knight's hall . This holds up to 500 people.
In a courtyard are followed battlements , followed by the Upper Chapel , the "Byzantine Gallery," the banquet room, the bedroom, three named by People spaces ( Vic Abens , JP Koltz and Ch. Arendt ), the small Palas (from the 12 . Century) as well as the family tree room.
A large cellar and a defensive structure, which had already been built in the time of the Carolingians , are partially incorporated into the rock ; around 1250 the owner at the time had the defensive strength of this outer bailey reinforced. This area is marked by the "Black Tower".
Application as a world heritage site
In October 1993, now affiliated to the Luxembourg Ministry of Culture announced UNESCO -Commission castle and town at UNESCO conducted so-called Tentative List as a potential World Heritage Site at. An entry there is the prerequisite for an application to be awarded a corresponding title, in this case a World Heritage Site , at a later date . After little had happened in the following years and for several years, a committee was founded in 2010 to compile the necessary documents and thus promote Vianden's application. In February 2012 this was then submitted to UNESCO. At the regular meeting of the World Heritage Committee in June 2013 in Phnom Penh , the Luxembourg request was to be decided. However, since it became apparent in advance that the ICOMOS advisory committee , whose recommendation plays a central role in the award decision, would give a rather negative vote, the application was withdrawn at short notice. The extensive vacancies in the old town, the poor condition of these buildings and the inadequate public participation were particularly criticized . The application should first be revised and then submitted again. Initially, the status as a World Heritage candidate in connection with Vianden was used for advertising purposes, including by the official tourism association of the Grand Duchy. In 2014 Vianden was removed from the tentative list.
particularities
- In 2000, the castle was the location for the film Shadow of the Vampire .
- During the tour, the history of the castle is shown in pictures and models in a larger room. Explanation boards indicate that, towards the end of the 20th century, a detailed measurement of the entire system could be carried out for the first time using a laser scan. A photo-realistic three-dimensional model of the castle was created.
- During his stay in Vianden in 1871, the famous French writer Victor Hugo wrote : " Aujourd'hui, dans son paysage splendide que viendra visiter un jour toute l'Europe, Vianden se compose de deux choses également consolantes et magnifiques, l'une sinistre, une ruine, l'autre riante, un peuple. "-" In its wonderful landscape, which one day will visit all of Europe, Vianden today consists of two things, comforting and magnificent in equal parts, one gloomy, one ruin, that others cheerful, one people. "
literature
- Christopher Gravett: Atlas of the castles. The most beautiful castles and palaces . Tosa, Vienna 2001, ISBN 3-85492-470-4 .
- Gaby Frantzen-Heger: Castle-Palace of Vianden , Les Amis du Château de Vianden, Vianden, 1998. ISBN 2-9599955-2-X .
- Evy Friedrich: Castles and Palaces , Editions Guy Binsfeld, Luxembourg. ISBN 3-88957-033-X .
Web links
- Site of Vianden Castle
- Website for the application of the castle and city of Viandens as a World Heritage site (French)
- Photo gallery from spring 2007
- Vianden Castle as a 3D model in SketchUp's 3D warehouse
Individual evidence
- ↑ Explanation boards in the castle exhibition
- ↑ a b c Flyer that is given to visitors with the admission ticket. Edited by Les Amis du Château de Vianden ; As of April 2013
- ↑ La ville et le château de Vianden. ( Memento of October 29, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) In: Tentative Lists on the UNESCO World Heritage Center website
- ↑ The decision on World Heritage status will be made in June . Lëtzebuerger Journal , April 3, 2013, accessed April 7, 2014
- ↑ Setback for Vianden's application for admission to the Unesco World Heritage Site . Luxemburger Wort , June 13, 2013, accessed April 7, 2014
- ^ Page on the Luxembourg World Heritage Sites on the website of the Luxembourg National Tourist Board, accessed on April 7, 2014