Zabelstein castle ruins

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Zabelstein castle ruins
southern remains of the tower

southern remains of the tower

Creation time : around 1000
Castle type : Höhenburg, spur location
Conservation status: Wall remains
Standing position : Noble
Place: Hundelshausen (Michelau im Steigerwald)
Geographical location 49 ° 56 '52.4 "  N , 10 ° 26' 47.9"  E Coordinates: 49 ° 56 '52.4 "  N , 10 ° 26' 47.9"  E
Height: 475  m above sea level NN
Zabelstein castle ruins (Bavaria)
Zabelstein castle ruins

The Zabelstein castle ruins are the ruins of a spur castle on a 475 meter high spur plateau of the northern Zabelstein in the unincorporated area of Hundelshausen near the municipality of Michelau in the Steigerwald in the Lower Franconian district of Schweinfurt in Bavaria . Zabelstein Castle was once considered the safest and most powerful fortress in the Diocese of Würzburg , next to the bishopric on the Marienberg fortress in Würzburg.

history

Remains of the wall indicate that the castle was founded around 1000. The presumed builders and owners of the castle, the noble family of Zabelsteiner, blood relatives of the ministerial family of Scherenberg , died out in 1303, after which the castle fell to the diocese of Würzburg. Under the rule of the Würzburg prince-bishops , the castle became one of the most powerful fortresses in the Lands on the Main and served as a repository for valuable documents and the bishop's treasure. The official seat was expanded and destroyed in the Palatinate Peasants' War in 1525 under the leadership of Hans Jüst. For the bishops, the castle was not just a refuge , it was also used for hunting and recreation.

In 1586 the castle was rebuilt under Prince-Bishop Julius Echter . The castle was the official seat of the Zabelstein Office . In 1652 the diocese moved its official seat to Traustadt and the castle has served as the forestry office of the Steigerwald ever since .

After a fire destroyed the castle in 1689, it fell into disrepair and was used as a quarry, including for the church in Donnersdorf .

The castle ruin is listed as a monument D-6-78-157-24 "Zabelstein castle ruins, late medieval castle complex preserved in remains of walls, 15th / 16th century. Century "and as ground monument D-6-6028-0123" Underground parts and foundations of abandoned buildings of the medieval to early modern castle ruins Zabelstein "recorded by the Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation .

Todays use

In 1999 a 19 meter high observation tower was built next to the ruin with a view of the Rhön and Thuringia .
From Easter in the summer months there is a bar and catering in the castle ruins.

description

The castle had an outer ward , from where you have a moat , the two round towers was secured, in the main castle came. In addition to the remains of the round towers, remains of castle cellars, small remains of walls and moats have been preserved.

  • Remnants of the outer bailey

  • Remnants of the moat wall

  • Remnants of the moat wall

  • northern remains of the tower

  • southeastern wall remains of the main castle

  • southwestern wall remnants of the main castle

literature

  • Walter Schilling: The castles, palaces and mansions of Lower Franconia . 1st edition. Echter Verlag, Würzburg 2012, ISBN 978-3-429-03516-7 , pp. 244–245.

Web links

Commons : Zabelstein Castle Ruins  - Collection of images, videos and audio files