Vartenberk

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Vartenberk Castle
(photo from May 10, 2007)
Vartenberk Castle
(photo taken on May 13, 2011)
Vartenberk Castle
(Photo from May 6, 2019)
Coat of arms of the Princes of Vartemberk (Warttenberg)

The Vartenberk Castle (formerly also Vartemberk , German Wartenberg or Warttenberg ) is located northeast of the North Bohemian town of Stráž pod Ralskem on the Zámecký vrch (352 m) above the Ploučnice valley . It was built at the end of the 15th century as a renaissance castle on the foundations of a Gothic castle from the 12th to 13th centuries.

history

Medieval castle

The original castle was first mentioned in 1281. It lay on the northwest side of the elongated hill from which the castle tower once protruded from the outer castle complex to the north. Massive vaults weighing tons , walls and a moat enclosed the former bastion . On its east side was the castle gate with a drawbridge over the moat.

It is believed that the castle was founded by Marquard von Březno and his son Beneš von Vartemberk to protect the trade routes to Zittau . The writings of the Marquard P. de Wartenberc have survived from that time.

The name of the castle "warta" or "Varte" - the watchtower (Watchtower) and "pork" or "berk" - the mountain, was also its name to the nearby village and later town Wartenberg (now Straz pod Ralskem ). The castle of Vartemberk, a former spin-off of the main castle Ralsko , served as a protective bastion " Guard Tower to the Rollburg" (stražna podrólski). In the 14th and 15th centuries, it developed into one of the most powerful noble houses in the Kingdom of Bohemia . The castle gate proudly displayed the gold-black coat of arms of the princes of Vartemberk, which was wrapped in a dragon.

Lord Beneš became the Prague burgrave and fathered four sons. They later founded the four main branches of the Vartemberk house - Veselí from Vartemberk, Kumburk from Vartemberk, Kostel from Vartemberk and Děčín from Vartemberk.

During the Hussite campaigns in 1426 and 1427, the castle was besieged and occupied by the armies of the orphan leader Jan Čapek ze Sán , who later converted back to Catholicism . Čapek was named the new lord of the castle and gained even more power and influence in Bohemia with his rule over Vartemberk. Former servants and officials from the Vartemberk farm put themselves into his pay.

In 1438 the Vartemberk castle passed to the Moravian armies of Johann Sokol von Lamberg and after his death it passed into the Bohemian rule of Diepold von Riesenberg .

The last Vartemberk

The last Vartemberk at the court and at the same time the last member of the Vartemberk family was Count Jan Jiří III. (Count Johann Georg III. Von Wartenberg and Roll), descendant of the high Prague court official Jan Jiří I , the brother of Prince Děčín von Vartemberk, who resided on Vartenberk and Ralsko in the 13th century .

The life of Jan Jiří III. was shaped by the Thirty Years War . At that time he allied himself with the rebellious farmers . As the leader of a peasant army, he managed to regain the castle rule of the Vartemberks for a short time. In the course of time, however, he had to accept the decline of the Vartemberk family. The defeat in the Battle of White Mountain ultimately led to his banishment from the Vartemberk court. The Habsburg Emperor Ferdinand II expropriated him, his possessions were confiscated, and he fled into exile in Saxony. Presumably he found his death there in 1631 or 1647.

Conversion to a renaissance castle

With the rule of the Hussites and the uprisings and campaigns of the Thirty Years' War, the lords of Vartenberk changed from year to year.

Already in 1504 the Hirschperger von Königshain bought the originally Gothic castle. They repaired and enlarged it and gradually rebuilt it into a renaissance castle in the years up to 1563.

15th to 17th centuries

With the renovation and the reign of Hirschhorn, Vartenberk Castle moved into the ownership of the noble houses Liechtenstein and Hartig . Prince Albrecht von Wallenstein also resided in the castle for a short time .

In 1639, during the Thirty Years War, Vartenberk Castle was looted and devastated by the Swedish troops . A few years later the castle even went up in flames; In 1645 Swedish troops stormed the farm again and set it on fire.

19th and early 20th centuries

With the completion of the construction work in Mimoň Castle , Hartig's owners moved from Vartenberk Castle to Mimoň Castle in 1830. However, the Hartigs remained present in the village and at Vartenberk Castle. They use it as a private guest house and for the winery . The administration of the Hartiger winery took its central seat in Vartenberk Castle, and the Herwigsdorf botanist Heinrich Moritz Willkomm , a friend of the Hartig family, lived and worked there until his death in 1895.

In 1922 the Hartigs sold their former property to the Unhoschter teacher and writer František Melichar , who died there three years later.

1945 until today

At the end of the Second World War , the Red Army soldiers moved into the once knightly and noble property. They used it as a hospital and holiday home until 1968 . After their withdrawal, the Soviet Army left only a dilapidated wasteland and a picture of devastation at Vartenberk Castle. In 1987 there was also a devastating fire at Vartenberk Castle, and it was almost completely destroyed.

Gate to Vartenberk Castle
(photo from May 13, 2011)
Redevelopment

The renovation of the castle turned out to be a difficult task due to the financial situation and the structural problems. It will be a few more years before Vartenberk Castle will be open to the public .

The work is the financial and technical responsibility of the City of Stráž pod Ralskem and the Czech Ministry of Culture. In October 2010 there was a big appeal for donations; A donation account has been set up, and donation boxes have been set up in the city registry office and at the city information office.

The first makeshift renovation and repair work began as early as the 1990s . A new roof structure was built. What is striking, however, is the laying of the bricks without the introduction of underlay . The eaves are either stolen or not installed. These structural defects will likely make the final, final renovation very time-consuming and costly. This allegedly also calls into question the consistent implementation of a drainage process. However, it is possible that you gave up the introduction of underlays to the sweat ascending soil moisture should be avoided as they protect against masonry cavity-nesting birds barricaded and against theft and vandalism gates, doors and windows, resulting in a deterioration of air circulation result in can.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The town of Stráž pod Ralskem appeals for donations to raise funds - To preserve the cultural heritage: Reconstruction and renovation of Vartenberk Castle. October 1, 2010 to January 10, 2011
  2. ↑ © Photo by Jiří Škrleta - April 18, 2011 - view of the inner roof structure
  3. ↑ © Photo by Jiří Škrleta - April 18, 2011 - view of the eaves

literature

  • Marek Podhorský: Liberecký kraj. freytag & berndt, Praha 2002, ISBN 80-7316-032-3 , chapter Českolipsko., p. 32.
  • Probouzející se Ralsko. Sdružení Náhlov v oblasti Ralsko, Ralsko 2005, ISBN 80-254-7878-5 , chapter Vesnice zaniklé a současné, p. 24.
  • Marie Vojtíšková, Břetislav Vojtíšek: Stráž pod Ralskem. Obrazy z dějin města. Pro Městský úřad Stráž pod Ralskem vydalo Vydavatelství End, Česká Lípa 2002, ISBN 80-901955-7-1 , chapter Vartemberkové, p. 24.

Web links

Commons : Schloss Vartenberk  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 50 ° 42 ′ 20.1 ″  N , 14 ° 48 ′ 0.5 ″  E