List of palatinate castles and fortresses

This list includes castles and fortresses , the historic state of the Electoral Palatinate of the Holy Roman Empire. Its territory stretched as a patchwork quilt over what is now the federal states of Bavaria , Baden-Württemberg , Hesse , Rhineland-Palatinate , Saarland and the French Alsace . The castle Eichartzhausen in Lorraine was, however, a stronghold of the branch line Palatinate-Veldenz .

In terms of time, this list covers the period from 1214, when the Bavarian Wittelsbachers became Count Palatine near the Rhine , to 1806. From 1356 to 1806, with one interruption, they held the title of Elector of the Holy Roman Empire .

Spatially, this list includes the Lower Palatinate ( Palatinate on the Rhine ) and the Upper Palatinate, which belonged to the Electoral Palatinate from 1329 to 1628 . The capitals were Heidelberg , Mannheim and Frankenthal as well as Amberg for the Upper Palatinate.

The castles of the Palatine branch lines Simmern, Mosbach, Neuburg, Neumarkt and Zweibrücken are not the subject of this list unless they belonged to the Electoral Palatinate. The Palatinate line also provided the dukes of Jülich and Berg (1614–1794 / 1806), this duchy also did not belong to the Electoral Palatinate.

Historical events

Wars and inheritance divisions were essential cuts in the layout of the territory and the affiliation of the castles and fortresses to the Electoral Palatinate.

• 1329 House contract from Pavia : The Upper Palatinate comes to the Electoral Palatinate.
• In 1410, castles of the Electoral Palatinate were transferred to the new branch lines Pfalz-Simmern-Zweibrücken , Pfalz-Mosbach and Pfalz-Neumarkt as part of the Palatinate inheritance .
• 1460–1463 Badisch-Palatinate War : capture and razing of the Schauenburg.
• In 1504 several castles were destroyed in the Landshut War of Succession .
• 1505 After the peace verdict, the Young Palatinate was formed, a fragmented area from the Upper Danube over Franconia to the northern Upper Palatinate. The duchy received more castles and Neuburg on the Danube became the capital .
• 1525 Palatine Peasants' War .
• 1559 With the succession of the Pfalz-Simmern line , their castles come to the Electoral Palatinate.
• 1618–1648 Thirty Years' War , destruction and damage of several castles.
• 1628 Decisive for the Electoral Palatinate was the loss of the first electoral dignity and the loss of the Upper Palatinate with its castles to the Bavarian Wittelsbacher.
• 1674/75 During the Dutch War , Turenne devastated the Electoral Palatinate and destroyed several castles.
• In 1685 the Palatinate-Neuburg line inherits the Electoral Palatinate.
• 1688–1697 During the Palatinate War of Succession , many castles are destroyed, blown up and not rebuilt after the peace agreement.
• 1701–1714 The War of the Spanish Succession is also waged in the Electoral Palatinate. In its course, from 1708 to 1714, the entire Bavarian Upper Palatinate came under Palatinate rule again.
• In 1742, Carl Theodor from the Pfalz-Sulzbach family took over the Electoral Palatinate inheritance. The Sulzbacher castles are now part of the Electoral Palatinate.
• In 1778 Carl Theodor was also elector of Bavaria , and the united electorate of Palatinate-Baiern was established .
• 1797 In the first revolutionary war , the Electoral Palatinate on the left bank of the Rhine falls to revolutionary France .
• In 1798 the Mannheimer Rheinschanze followed as the last bulwark in the Electoral Palatinate.
• 1803 With the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss , the Electoral Palatinate is dissolved, remaining castles fall to Baden and Hessen-Darmstadt .
• 1806 With the establishment of the Kingdom of Bavaria , all remaining castles fall to Bavaria.

Explanation of the list

The list is divided into that of the castles and fortresses of the Electoral Palatinate. In terms of size, the Palatinate castles and residences must have their own lists. Structures without an article are visible as a red link , but then the most important data are listed in the corresponding line. Interesting features are listed in a separate section at the end.

• Name : gives the historical name of the building as a castle, fortress or fortress. Today's and other names are given in the articles.
• Location : Indicates in which municipality the building is or was or in which district it is located. The flag presented indicates the state or the French region.
• Type : Indicates the respective building type: For castles mostly according to their geographical allocation.
• Existence : Shows that the castles belong to the historical territory of the Kurpfalz. For the year of construction or the destruction, there are often unsecured data; the articles provide further information on this.
• Fate and conservation status : Provides more detailed information about the destruction or the transition to another territory; also describes the current state of the castle or fortress. "When disposed of is" a castle called when no residues are present
• Image: If possible, shows an appropriate photo, picture or drawing of the building or ruin. In some cases, only subsequent buildings need to be documented.

Hints:

• This list can be sorted : by clicking on a column header, the list is sorted according to this column, clicking twice reverses the sorting. Any desired combination can be achieved by clicking two columns in a row .
  • The City column sorts first by state and then by city.

Castles of the Electoral Palatinate

Surname	Country Place	Type	Duration	Whereabouts and state of preservation	image
Alzey Castle	Alzey	Niederungsburg	1214-1689	Destroyed in 1689; rebuilt after 1904
Veste / Amberg Castle ( Upper Palatinate )	On the mountain	Fortress	1329-1628	Expanded to a castle in 1417, burned down; South wing preserved
Amberg Castle ( Upper Palatinate )	Amberg - "Mariahilfberg"	Hilltop castle	1329-1564	dilapidated, still "watchtower" (?) in 1564; overbuilt by a pilgrimage church
Beilstein Castle	Kaiserslautern	Hilltop castle	1234-1455	destroyed before 1455; ruin
Boxberg Castle	Boxberg	Hilltop castle	1561-1803	Canceled in 1857; ruin
Dilsberg Castle	Dilsberg	Hilltop castle	1300-1803	1803 Baden state prison. Since 1822 demolition; received in parts.
Dorndiel Castle	Dorndiel	Moated castle	Mentioned in 1390	last remains removed after 1786
Eichelsheim Castle	Eichelsheim	Niederungsburg	1353-1634	blown up; Wall remains
Friedelsheim Castle	Friedelsheim	Niederungsburg	1433-1689	destroyed, overbuilt by a castle; Keep preserved
Friedrichsburg	Lampertheim	Niederungsburg , hunting lodge	1468-1622	1504/1622 destroyed, partial demolition; Official building received
Friedrichsburg	Mannheim	Fortress, s. u.
Fürstenberg Castle	Rheindiebach	Hilltop castle	1410-1689	destroyed; Castle ruins, part of the UNESCO World Heritage
Germersheim Castle	Germersheim	Niederungsburg	1325-1674	expanded to a castle, destroyed; overbuilt
Gutenfels Castle	Chew	Hilltop castle	1277-1793	Blown up in 1806; rebuilt, part of the UNESCO World Heritage
Guttenberg Castle	Oberotterbach	Hilltop castle	1317 -1410	1410 at Pfalz-Zweibrücken , destroyed in 1525; ruin
Habitzheim Castle	Habitzheim	Moated castle	1433-1528	1528 completely to Löwenstein-Wertheim ; today manor
Upper castle	above Heidelberg	Hilltop castle	-1537	Powder supply explosion; overbuilt
Heidelberg Castle	Heidelberg	Hillside castle	1225-1693	Expansion into a castle in 1401, a fortress in 1490, destroyed in 1689/1693; ruin
Helfenberg Castle ( Upper Palatinate )	Velburg	Hilltop castle	1370-1504	burned down, conversion to a castle; ruin
Veste Hemsbach	Hemsbach	Moated castle	1421–	Residential tower preserved
Kauzenburg Castle	Bad Kreuznach	Hilltop castle	1417-1688	Partial ownership, blown up in 1688; Ruin, new restaurant building
Imperial Palace	Kaiserslautern	Hillside castle	1357-1688	Castle extension, destroyed in 1635/1688/1703 and blown up; Remains received
Kirkel Castle	Kirkel-Neuhäusel	Hilltop castle	-1410	1410 at Pfalz-Zweibrücken , destroyed in 1635/1677/1689; ruin
Landeck Castle	Klingenmünster	Höhenburg mountain fortress	1570-1680 / 89	destroyed; Castle ruins well preserved
Landsehr Castle	Obrigheim	Hilltop castle	1290-1350	replaced by Burg Obrigheim, sold; Burgstall
Oppenheim Castle (1668: Landskron )	Oppenheim	Hilltop castle	1315-1621	1615 castle, 1621 burned down, 1689 keep blown up; ruin
Lauda Castle	Lauda			departed
Lichtenstein Castle	Neidenfels	Rock castle	-1281	Destroyed in 1281, replaced by Neidenfels Castle; ruin
Lindenfels Castle	Lindenfels	Hilltop castle	1277-1803	1728/1779 parts removed; ruin
Löwenstein Castle	Heilbronn	Höhenburg Zwingburg	1382-1504	Captured in 1504, burnt down in 1512; ruin
Lützelstein Castle	Lützelstein	Hilltop castle	1462-1553	Delivery to Pfalz-Zweibrücken ; receive
Minneburg Castle	Neckarkatzenbach	Hilltop castle	1349-1663	1622 partially destroyed, demolished; ruin
Murach Castle ( Upper Palatinate )	Oberviechtach	Hilltop castle	1329-1628	Kurpräzipium , expired after 1803; ruin
Schlösslein Nauses	Castle Naus	Moated castle	-1806	since 1698 owned by the von Sickingen family ; restaurant
Oberburg Neibsheim	Boards	Hilltop castle	1349–?	departed; Burgstall
Lower castle Neibsheim	Boards	Moated castle	1349-1490	1490 burned down, removed; Burgstall
Neidenfels Castle	Neidenfels	Hilltop castle	1330-1689	Built in 1330, blown up in 1689; ruin
Neuburg Castle	Neuburg on the Danube	lock	1505-1557 1685-1808	since 1527 conversion to a castle, 1557 to Pfalz-Zweibrücken , 1569 to Neuburg ; receive
Veste Neuburg	Neuburg on the Rhine	Moated castle ?	1383-1540	Pledged in 1540, forfeited; overbuilt
Neuburg Castle	Obrigheim	Hilltop castle	1401-1405 1490-1759	1413 near Pfalz-Mosbach , 1845 conversion to a castle; hotel
Neukastel Castle	Leinsweiler	Hilltop castle	1330-1410	Built in 1330, in 1410 at Pfalz-Zweibrücken , destroyed in 1689; Wall remains
Neumarkt Castle ( Upper Palatinate )	Neumarkt	Moated castle	1329-1410 1490-1628	Residence, burnt down in 1520, moated castle in 1539; today district court
Obrigheim Castle	Obrigheim	Hilltop castle	1329-1401	1413 near Pfalz-Mosbach , sold; moth
Veste Otzberg	herring	Hilltop castle	1390-1803	1803 Hessian state prison; received in parts
Parkstein Castle ( Upper Palatinate )	Park stone	Hilltop castle	1421-1623	1505/1623 to Pfalz-Neuburg , decay and demolition; Leftovers
Pfalzgrafenstein Castle	Chew	Inselburg	1277-1803	Customs castle; preserved: part of the UNESCO World Heritage
Reichenstein Castle	Neckargemünd	Hilltop castle	1329-1355	decayed since 1355; Leftovers
Ruppertsecken Castle	Ruppertsecken	Hilltop castle	1344-1410	In 1410 at Pfalz-Zweibrücken , besieged and laid down by Electoral Palatinate in 1470; Tower remains
Sauerburg Castle	Sauerthal	Hilltop castle	1355-1505	sold, blown up in 1689; Ruin: part of the UNESCO World Heritage
Schauenburg Castle	Dossenheim	Hilltop castle	1460-1460	1460 conquered and razed; ruin
Schwabsburg Castle	Nierstein	Hilltop castle	1316-1621	destroyed; Keep preserved
Schwarzach Castle	Schwarzach	Moated castle	1319-1803	1634 official seat, 1780ff manor house; Forester's house
Veste Schwetzingen	Schwetzingen	Moated castle	1427-1648	destroyed; Reconstruction: hunting lodge, later summer residence
Simmern Castle	Simmer	Moated castle	1311-1410 1559-1689	1410 to Pfalz-Simmern , expanded into a residence since 1460, blown up in 1689; overbuilt
Stahlberg Castle	Bacharach-Steeg	Hilltop castle	1243-1689	Destroyed in 1689; Ruin: part of the UNESCO World Heritage
Stahleck Castle	Bacharach	Ridge castle with neck ditch	1214-1797	Blown up in 1689; 1925/26 Reconstruction as a youth hostel: part of the UNESCO World Heritage
Strahlberg Castle	Schriesheim	Hilltop castle	1347-1504	destroyed; ruin
Sulzbach Castle ( Upper Palatinate )	Sulzbach-Rosenberg	Hilltop castle	1305-1505 1742-1806	1505 to Pfalz-Neuburg , 1742 Pfalz-Sulzbach inherits the Electoral Palatinate; lock
Trifels Castle	Annweiler	Hilltop castle	-1410	1410 at Pfalz-Zweibrücken , destroyed by lightning in 1602; 1938–1966 reconstruction
Velburg Castle ( Upper Palatinate )	Velburg	Hilltop castle	1231–1505 (care)	1505 to Pfalz-Neuburg , destroyed around 1630; ruin
Waldeck Castle	Dorweiler	Hilltop castle	1398-1689	Destroyed in 1689; Ruin, 1910 new buildings ( youth castle )
Waldeck Castle ( Upper Palatinate )	Kemnath	Hilltop castle	1329-1628	Kurpräzipium , dismantled in 1704, expired after 1794; ruin
Wegelnburg Castle	Schönau	Hilltop castle	1330-1679	Looped in 1679; ruin
Wildberg Castle	Wildberg	Hilltop castle	1364-1440	1440 to Württemberg , destroyed by lightning in 1618; later castle destroyed in 1945
Wildenstein Castle	Leibertingen	Hilltop castle	1395-1462	received as ransom; Castle preserved
Windeck Castle	Weinheim	Hilltop castle	1264-1674	Destroyed in 1674; ruin
Winzingen Castle	Neustadt-Haardt	Hilltop castle	1214-1696	destroyed, decayed; ruin
Wolfsburg Castle	Neustadt an der Weinstrasse	Hilltop castle	1214-1633	Looped in 1633; ruin
Wolfstein Castle ( Upper Palatinate )	Neumarkt	Hilltop castle	1490-1628	From Pfalz-Neumarkt in 1490/99 , badly damaged in 1504, decayed after 1628; ruin
Alt-Wolfstein Castle	Wolfstein	Hilltop castle	1400-1504	destroyed u. decay; Castle ruins
Neu-Wolfstein Castle	Wolfstein	Hilltop castle	1324-1688	1503 and Destroyed in 1688; Castle ruins
Zweibrücken Castle	Zweibrücken	Niederungsburg	1385-1410	1410 at Pfalz-Zweibrücken , destroyed; overbuilt

Fortresses of the Electoral Palatinate

Surname	place	Type	Duration	Whereabouts and state of preservation	image
Heidelberger Castle	Heidelberg	Mountain fortress	1490-1689	destroyed, blown up in parts; Castle ruin
Landeck Castle	Klingenmünster	Mountain fortress	1570-1680 / 89	destroyed; Castle ruins well preserved
Friedrichsburg Fortress	Mannheim	Fortified city with citadel	1606-1799	looped and built over
Mannheimer Rheinschanze	on the opposite bank of the Rhine	Bridgehead of the fortress Mannheim	1606-1843	repeatedly destroyed, abandoned and overbuilt
Frankenthal Fortress	Frankenthal	Fortress city	1606-1689	strongest fortress in the Electoral Palatinate, razed; Built over in 1880

See also

• List of Palatinate castles
• List of castles and palaces in the Speyer Monastery

literature

• Jürgen Keddigkeit (Ed.): Palatinate Castle Lexicon 1 - 4 . Institute for Palatinate History, Kaiserslautern 1999–2007.

Web links

Commons : Palatinate castles and residences  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• ZEGK, Heidelberg University: Castles of the Electoral Palatinate (last change: March 21, 2012)