Reichenfels castle ruins
| Reichenfels castle ruins | ||
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 Ascent to the castle ruins |
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| Creation time : | around 1200 | |
| Castle type : | Höhenburg, spur location | |
| Conservation status: | Wall remains | |
| Standing position : | Nobles, counts | |
| Construction: | Sandstone | |
| Place: | Hohenleuben | |
| Geographical location | 50 ° 42 '27 " N , 12 ° 2' 20" E | |
| Height: | 350 m above sea level NN | |
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The Reichenfels castle ruins are a medieval fortification near Hohenleuben in the Greiz district in Thuringia . The ruins of this spur castle and the surrounding public and private buildings form the Hohenleuben district of Reichenfels.
location
The castle is located about one kilometer west of Hohenleuben town center at an altitude of about 350 m above sea level. NN on the Bergsporn Schlossberg and about 45 m above the Triebestal . It is located on the Reussische Fürstenstrasse . A chestnut avenue has been leading from the edge of Hohenleuben to Reichenfels since 1770.
History and layout
The complex consists of the core castle , which is separated from the forecourt by a deep and wide ring moat . Today a continuous stone bridge leads over the moat. At the castle gate, however, there are traces for lifting a drawbridge . The main castle was surrounded by a polygonal ring wall (diameter about 30 meters, wall remains in the west with a residual height of 4 to 8 meters) and secured by a keep . Remains of other buildings can be seen.
The castle was probably built by the bailiffs of Weida in the 12th century and came into the possession of the bailiffs of Gera in 1356 . In 1550 the burgraves of Meißen zu Plauen acquired the castle and occupied the castle team with families from the Vogtland nobility. In 1703 the castle and all of its buildings were bought by Count Heinrich XXIV. Reuss zu Köstritz . From the 18th century the castle fell into disrepair.
In 1804, Prince Heinrich XLIII began. Reuss zu Köstritz , to build a neo-Romanesque castle in the ruin and to design the surrounding area like a park. The work was stopped in 1811 without any significant success. In 1846 the princes of Köstritz also dissolved the estate. The castle tower collapsed in 1872, and from 1900 to 1903 the castle and palace were torn down to the foundations.
In 1944 and 1955 the castle was placed under monument protection. In order to make it available to the public for cultural and tourist purposes, repair work has been carried out on the facility since 1955. The Hohenleuben-Reichenfels local history museum created by the Vogtland Antiquities Research Association (founded in 1825) and the former farm building, now the Burgschänke and hotel, are located in the courtyard-like forecourt . The history of the castle is also presented in the museum, partly on the basis of finds. Where there are no buildings, the courtyard is surrounded by a historic wall. A small part of the yard has a tent roof for rainproof outdoor events.
Outside the courtyard is the Reichenfelser Labyrinth (diameter 10 m, path length approx. 200 m). Lawn and stone labyrinths are pre-Christian places of worship and were used, especially at solstice and spring celebrations, for meditation, for ritual dance and step dances, running exercises and games. In the Middle Ages, the Christian church adopted labyrinths as symbols for the ideal pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
In the area you can also find remains of the attempted park design by Prince Heinrich XLIII., Such as a classical sandstone gate and a legendary stone cross called the "Holy Cross" that was brought here.
The castle ruins are a protected cultural monument . The area in question is used for tourism.
Reichenfels castle ruins
Inner courtyard with remains of surrounding wall
Inner courtyard, Reichenfels Museum visible through the gate
Drudenfuß as a threshold
Drudenfuß, explanation
Cavity in an outer wall
View into the Triebestal
Lawn maze
“Holy Cross”,
photo 1953
Choir competition in the castle ruins, 1955
literature
- Michael Köhler: "Reichenfels" - Thuringian castles and fortified prehistoric and early historical living spaces . Jenzig-Verlag, Jena 2001, ISBN 3-910141-43-9 , p. 207 .
- Thomas Bienert: "Reichenfels Castle Ruins" - Medieval castles in Thuringia . Wartberg Verlag, Gudensberg-Gleichen 2000, ISBN 3-86134-631-1 , p. 99 .
- Michael Rudolf : Castles and palaces in Vogtland. Tourist guide . Sachsenbuch, Leipzig 1998, ISBN 3-89664-008-9 .
