Plötzkau Castle
The Castle Plötzkau in Plötzkau ((Saale-Wipper), Saxony-Anhalt ) is a Renaissance chateau on the site of a medieval Castle of the Counts. It was best known as the residence of the Principality of Anhalt-Plötzkau (1611–1665). The castle is managed by the Kulturstiftung Sachsen-Anhalt as owner.
history
The medieval round castle was first mentioned in a document in 1049. Bernhard von Hecklingen is probably the first Count of Plötzkau. He founded a Benedictine monastery in nearby Kakelingen . It is assumed that the establishment of the county was related to the castle policy of Henry IV . His son Dietrich was mentioned in a document as Count von Plötzkau. Helperich, Dietrich's son, received the Nordmark in 1112 as a fiefdom from Emperor Heinrich V. In the course of the uprisings of the Saxon nobility against Heinrich V, which ended in the 1115 battle of the Welfesholz with the defeat of the emperor, he was unable to enforce his claims . Obviously the family remained closely connected to the imperial family, because Helperich's son, Konrad, was enfeoffed with the Nordmark in 1130. However, Konrad was not able to enjoy his property for long, because he was killed in the Italian campaign of King Lothar I in 1133. Konrad's brother Bernhard, the last Count of Plötzkau, was killed in the second crusade in 1147.
A bitter dispute broke out between Margrave Albrecht the Bear and the Saxon Duke Heinrich the Lion over the legacy of the Plötzkau Counts . In the battle of the Ascanians against the Guelphs in 1139, Archbishop Konrad von Magdeburg destroyed the castle. Ultimately, Albrecht was able to prevail. Later Plötzkau came under the feudal rule of the Gernrode monastery. The Gernröder set the ministerials from the von Hoym and von Freckleben families as tenants. The von Plötzkau ministerial family may have come from one of these families.
In 1436 Prince Bernhard IV of Anhalt-Bernburg moved in Plötzkau as a settled fiefdom after a settlement. When the country was divided in 1554, the poor condition of the castle was mentioned, which made a new building necessary. For financing purposes , Prince Joachim waived the compensation payment of 74 guilders, which Bernhard, Joachim Ernst and Karl would have had to pay for the added value of Plözkau. He even paid 1000 guilders for the building in 1555/56.
Between 1566 and 1573, Bernhard built the renaissance castle that is still largely preserved today. Starting with the south wing, the construction process followed on the east and north sides and the western front. Using the medieval keep, the tower was raised to seven floors. He received a hood with four gables. The "old house" on the tower remained and was only demolished in 1600. As master builders are handed down:
- 1566 Bastian (from Dessau?), Stonemason,
- Nickel from Alsleben Steinmetz,
- Wulf Steinmetz,
- 1567/68: Georg Schröter sculptor,
- 1570s: Christoph Sculptor.
The fireplace in the Fürstensaal, built by Georg Schröter, is interesting in terms of art history. Its design language shows close ties to the Bernburg Palace.
In 1611, Prince August von Anhalt received the rule of Plötzkau from the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg as part of the improvement of the Anhalt division of the estate from 1606 and established the princely line of Anhalt-Plötzkau here. In the period that followed, the palace buildings were rebuilt in the Baroque style. In 1665 the castle was transferred to the Bernburg-Harzgerode line and later returned to the Anhalt-Bernburg line by inheritance. In 1720 Prince Karl Friedrich took office in Bernburg. His son Victor Friedrich resided at Plötzkau Castle. Further baroque alterations were carried out. The interiors were luxuriously furnished. The moat was given a new function as a dog and deer moat. The economic use of the rule took place through the establishment of a domain.
But soon the use as a representative royal residence ended. As early as 1741, the establishment of a "Japanese factory" in the castle rooms was reported. From 1840 to 1874 the castle building was used as a penal and reformatory.
In the 19th century, the characteristic 21 gable dormers became increasingly damaged, so that one collapsed in 1833. Therefore, from 1865 to 1870, all gable dormers were thoroughly renovated and renewed for 4,000 thalers.
After the prison was closed, the castle was used by the domain administration. After 1945 refugees lived in the living quarters at times. The State Museum of Prehistory and Protohistory later kept its depot here. This use lasted until 1992. Today the castle is under the administration of the Saxony-Anhalt Cultural Foundation .
literature
- Dehio, Handbuch der Kunstdenkmäler, Der Bezirk Halle, Akademie-Verlag, Berlin 1976.
- Handbook of the historical sites of Germany, Province of Saxony-Anhalt, Alfred Kröner Verlag, Stuttgart 1987.
- Franz Stieler: Plötzkau Castle. The Plötzkau penal and reformatory institution. In the series of publications by the Köthener Heimatmuseum, Bernburg 1930.
Web links
Coordinates: 51 ° 44 ′ 38.9 " N , 11 ° 41 ′ 18.8" E