Wambolt's castle

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Wambolt's Castle, looking from the park from the east in a north-westerly direction
The original ironwork on the window of the castle
Wambolt coat of arms in the courtyard of the castle
View from the south: West front of Wambolt's Castle and part of the south view of Curti Castle on a photo from before 1912
The Jägerhaus , the only surviving auxiliary and residential building in the palace area, is a listed building.

The Wambolt'sche Castle is a stylistically influential renaissance of the city Gross-Umstadt in Darmstadt-Dieburg in Hesse . Its current appearance was created by the two large wing buildings at the beginning and end of the 17th century, which together with the middle section represent a U-shaped three-wing complex and can be viewed as a typical city ​​residence . From around 1850 the castle got its present form.

location

The castle was once located at the western end of the medieval city near the former city wall. It is located north of the Palatinate Palace, only a few meters away, and south of the former Curti Palace , which was located directly on the other side of Curtigasse, and of which only a coat of arms at the Max-Planck-Gymnasium testifies today . Rodenstein Castle and the former Heddersdorf'scher Adelshof are only 50 meters northeast of Wambolt's Castle. Today the castle is located in the city ​​center of Groß-Umstadt in the middle of the Realschulstraße , Curtigasse , Obere Marktstrasse and Pfälzer Gasse districts . The representative U-shaped palace is open to the east towards the city center.

history

Today's palace area is first mentioned in 1036 as the property of the noble von Hetterstorf family ( Heddersdorf , Hedersdorff ), who also have a long tradition in Umstadt, were repeatedly associated with the Wambolts and died out in the male line in 1830. In 1430 a Hans Wambolt married Johanna von Hettersdorf and took possession of the area that at that time only had a few smaller buildings.

The Barons Wambolt von Umstadt were in the service of the Elector Palatinate . The barons were able to gradually acquire further town houses around the area and expand the area. They can also be traced back to Umstadt in the early Middle Ages, but first had their ancestral castle in the Alten Wamboltschen Hof , today's Hettersdorf'schen Adelshof . This came only after 1570 as a result of inheritance disputes to a representative of the widely ramified von Hettersdorf. It can no longer be proven whether this was a kind of belated swap.

Between 1600 and 1602 the north wing was built for Philip III. Wambolt von Umstadt (* May 21, 1545, † December 29, 1620, oo with Anna Margarete Knebel von Katzenelnbogen ) built in the Renaissance style. The most magnificent part of the castle was built hook-shaped onto the stair tower of an old castle seat. The construction of the palace began at the time of one of the most important representatives of the Wambold von Umstadt , Anselm Casimir Wambolt von Umstadt , who later became the elector and archbishop of Mainz . This was the nephew of Philip III.

Around 1671, the south wing was built by Colonel Friedrich von Wambolt . The stair tower has now been integrated into the middle section and the cellar vaults of the old castle seat were built over by the south wing.

Together with the existing buildings, a large closed courtyard was created. Only a few remains of this enclosed courtyard with farm buildings and ancillary buildings have survived : the so-called Jägerhaus east of Curtigasse is a three-storey half-timbered building from 1609, the garden in front of it to the north and the large inner courtyard, which is now covered with old trees. Other outbuildings, the coach house and the wine press house as well as a large forecourt no longer exist or are heavily built over.

Until around 1700 the Wambolts lived in the castle as imperial barons, grand court masters and senior officials. Later it was only the administrative center for the extensive lands in and around the city. It was not until the 20th century that Baron Bardo Wambolt von Umstadt and his grandmother Baroness Maria Freiin von Falkenstein chose it again as their residence.

The castle impresses above all with the artistic decorative shapes: windows with profiled sandstone walls, chased wrought iron basket grids and, above all, the sandstone ornaments on the gable, which give the building a stately character. Inside, geometrically divided stucco ceilings are worth seeing.

Architectural monument and art historical significance

The Wambolt'sche Castle is a rather atypical, inner-city aristocratic administrative courtyard from the late Renaissance period . Together with the similar town hall in Groß-Umstadt, only 100 meters away, it forms a unique urban-planning and stylistic correspondence. What is striking about the castle is the contradiction between the representative three-wing complex with its high viewing gables and the typical surroundings in the form of a self-contained courtyard with an originally quite primitive courtyard wall. The equally magnificent western front was also barely visible through the high city wall, which ran about 20 m away. The mighty, massive tithe barn of the Palatinate Palace stood on the south side. This contradiction can still be felt today in the layout of the palace within the urban space.

The most valuable structural elements and components of Wambolt's castle are:

  • the spacious three-wing system, unique for its time, within a small-town half-timbered building
  • the four magnificent, from local red Odenwald - sandstone carved, very plastic spectacle gable with their Volutenhörnern, pilasters , obelisks and pilasters .
  • The three wrought-iron basket grids on the windows of the north wing, which have been preserved in situ, with their elaborate spirals, flowers, leaves and other decorative shapes
  • The five preserved, strictly geometrical and plastic stucco ceilings with the typical fittings and a coat of arms (these were probably created by Eberhard Fischer from Babenhausen )
  • The strange sandstone column on the ground floor of the west wing with the motif of a "column-eating" dragon head.

Of all the former seven noble courts in Groß-Umstadt, Wambolt's Castle is the most valuable in terms of art history and the best preserved in its substance.

Regionally and stylistically, it belongs to the so-called Lichtenberg School . This got its name from Lichtenberg Castle in the north-western Odenwald, the first large Renaissance palace in the then Landgraviate of Hessen-Darmstadt . In terms of time, design and stately, Wambolt's Castle was in the area of ​​influence of the magnificent palace residences of Darmstadt , Heidelberg and Aschaffenburg . Since the era before the Thirty Years War was an economic boom not only in the German states, brisk building activity developed from 1550 to 1600. There is hardly a castle, palace or town hall that did not undergo a renovation, extension or new construction with Renaissance gables, bay windows and portals during this period . That ornate “Welsche Manner”, as the style was called at that time, spread through numerous master books, e.g. B. a Wedelin Ditterlin or a Vredeman de Vries in all of Northern Europe. In addition, the builders and stonemasons , who often came from Northern Italy or Flanders, wandered from building site to building site or were recommended by their clients. As a result, the buildings and styles overlap everywhere and result in an infinite abundance of formal details which, taken together, result in a masterful, proud, but often eccentric concert that we now call the architecture of the Renaissance.

The Umstädter gables have the greatest similarity with those of the closing shop and the mill at Schloss Fürstenau in Michelstadt- Steinbach. Also related are the Kranichstein hunting lodge , the Darmstadt town hall and the castles in Kelsterbach and Höchst , to name just a few examples. Compared to the Lichtenberg model, the Umstadt gables are much more elaborate and more “mannerist”. Also in German Renaissance architecture one rarely finds facades that are as well proportioned as those from Umstadt. Often the German Renaissance gables are only designed as small gable gables or appear as if they were placed on top, or end in a restless, overloaded mixture of styles, as it often appears in the Weser Renaissance. In Groß-Umstadt, on the other hand, there are well-balanced, spatially defined, clearly executed designs that have a clear culmination point and thus develop a strong vertical urge to climb. You can see that in the unusual relationship between the substructure and the gable structure. The gable takes up over half the height of the building.

Overall, the Wambolt castle is one of the most important architectural monuments in the Darmstadt-Dieburg district and is a valuable testimony to the Renaissance architecture in southern Hesse.

Heraldic panel

The coat of arms on the east portal of the south wing

The coat of arms above the east portal of the south wing is dedicated to Heinrich Friedrich von Wambolt (* July 15, 1628 Groß-Umstadt; † December 14, 1688 Bensheim ) and his two wives: the first, Maria Ursula von Schönborn (* September 27, 1636; † March 25, 1677, oo January 12, 1654) and Eva Maria Freiin von Hoheneck (* May 22, 1655 Aschaffenburg; † after 1696, oo April 24, 1678) (heraldic left upper coat of arms). It should be noted that the upper heraldic right coat of arms does not represent the Schönborn coat of arms. There may have been a mistake in the production process, as the coat of arms (already heavily destroyed today) is similar to the family coat of arms of mother Maria Ursula von Schönborn, born von Greiffenclau zu Vollrads (1612–1682). Wambolt's motto is engraved above the triple coat of arms : “ Recht Thun Waret Lang ” (“ Doing right is long ”). Under the triple coat of arms in an oval, protruding writing field surrounded by putti and volutes, there used to be the text: “ Friedrich Freyher Wambolt Von Umbstadt Chur.Mainz: Obrist. Hof Undt KrigsRath Undt AmptMan ZU Dippurg: 1681 “. Today both are difficult to read on the Wappenstein. Among them are the coat of arms of Wambolt von Umstadt and the gag of Katzenelnbogen.

Building history

The south wing was built over a small medieval castle, while the older north wing was built between 1600 and 1602, partly on the basement foundations of demolished bourgeois half-timbered houses. As the layout of the previous building was adhered to, the interior of the north wing does not have a right angle. The section of the cellar with the groin vault was probably built at the same time as the north wing. The south wing was built around 70 to 80 years later than the north wing. For this, the old stair tower and the remaining part of the small castle complex were demolished. However, the barrel vaulted cellars from the 14th or 15th century were preserved. More recent findings suggest that the western connecting structure was built at the same time as the north wing and even reached as far as the old stair tower, which therefore stood roughly at the point where the large staircase is today. The original, complete lack of stairs in the north and west wings remains a little inexplicable.

To this day nothing definite can be said about the builder of the palace and the town hall. The architect , monument conservator and art historian Johannes Sommer, who last lived in Darmstadt , found the master builder Johannes Schoch in a comprehensive construction documentation of the Umstadt town hall . Around 1600 he was in the service of the Electorate of the Palatinate under Friedrich IV. As a master builder and had designed the famous Friedrichsbau of the Heidelberg Castle . In contrast, the Groß-Umstädter city archivist a. After years of archival work, D. Georg Brenner came across a certain Jacob Stoppani (or Stuppanus) who is related to the better-known Flemish builder Georg Robin . Stoppani was involved in the planning and construction of the renaissance castles in Kelsterbach and Höchst a. Main involved, the castle church in Meerholz was also rebuilt by him, whereby the church tower there bears a striking resemblance to the Umstadt city tower. For example, exactly the same, Gothic, three-part fish bladders appear on the Meerholz tower parapet as in the gables of Wambolt's castle. Around 1680, the exterior of the castle had essentially attained its current shape. Only the roof structure of the connecting structure was probably converted from a previously pointed pyramid roof into today's simple saddle shape around 1850.

Todays use

The castle was last renovated in 1975. Four decades later it was in poor condition and urgently needed renovation. After negotiations between the city and the Wambolt von Umstadt failed, the Groß-Umstadt entrepreneur Achim Karn acquired the castle in 2014 and began to repair it, supported by the German Foundation for Monument Protection . By October 2017, the vaulted cellar and the ground floor (north wing and south wing renovated) as well as the roof were completely renovated. The east, south and north facades were also renovated. In 2016 a beer garden was opened in the castle park . The restoration of the interior should also be completed by the end of 2018.

  • Pictures around the castle

  • The west gable of Wambolt's Castle seen from the north-west. Left gable: north wing (around 1600), right gable: south wing (around 1675)

  • The information board on the southeast corner of the north wing

  • The double coat of arms on the portal of the north wing: owner's coat of arms of the Wambolt von Umstadt and the Ministerial Knebel von Katzenelnbogen

As part of the 42nd day of the Hessian Monument Preservation of the State Office for Monument Preservation Hesse , which took place as part of the 1275 year celebration of the city of Groß-Umstadt on April 27 and 28, 2018, a guided tour through the Wambolt Castle was also offered with explanations from the owner, the accompanying architect and the State Monuments Office and underlined the successful renovation and preservation of the castle.

  • Interior views

  • Wambolt's coat of arms in the "Blue Room", restored in its original colors

  • The "dragon pillar" in the east wing

  • The restored "Blue Salon" with stucco ceiling

  • A restored piece of wall with original colors of the different layers of paint

literature

in alphabetical order by authors / editors

  • Siegfried RCT Enders: Cultural Monuments in Hesse. Darmstadt-Dieburg district. Published by the State Office for Monument Preservation Hessen , Vieweg, Braunschweig / Wiesbaden 1988, ISBN 3-528-06235-5 , pp. 220–222 ( Monument topography Federal Republic of Germany ).
  • Kristian Kaffenberger: "I was lucky". An experience report in dealing with the Wambolt castle in Groß-Umstadt . In: Denkmalpflege & Kulturgeschichte 2/2019, pp. 24–30.
  • Rudolf Knappe: Medieval castles in Hessen. 800 castles, castle ruins and fortifications. 3. Edition. Wartberg-Verlag, Gudensberg-Gleichen 2000, ISBN 3-86134-228-6 , p. 535f.
  • Rolf Müller (Ed.): Palaces, castles, old walls. Published by the Hessendienst der Staatskanzlei, Wiesbaden 1990, ISBN 3-89214-017-0 , p. 152f.
  • Johannes Sommer: The Renaissance town hall in Groß-Umstadt. Langewiesche publishing house 1993, ISBN 3-7845-5800-3 .
  • Johannes Sommer: Wambolter Castle and Town Hall - A comparison. In: Magistrat der Stadt Gross-Umstadt (Ed.): Gross-Umstadt: 743-1993. Horb am Neckar 1993, ISBN 3-89264-771-2 , pp. 181-186.

Web links

Commons : Wamboltsches Schloss (Groß-Umstadt)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Geneagraphy PWvU
  2. ↑ His full name was: Philipp Wambolt von und zu Umstadt, auf Carlbach, electoral Palatinate grand court master, governor of Amberg, Privy Councilor , married to Anna Margaretha Knebel von Katzenellenbogen, a daughter of the electoral Palatine court judge Dieterich Knebel von Katzenellenbogen. Their daughter Anna Maria Wambolt von Umstadt (* March 16, 1598 in Heidelberg; † September 14, 1637) was married to Karl von Bose, Obrist (* August 10, 1596; † January 12, 1657) also called the "rich Bose"
  3. ^ Renaissance castles in Hessen - DFG project page of the Germanisches Nationalmuseum , in other publications of the city of Groß-Umstadt and the Museum and History Association the time is given around 1580. However, it is part of the buildings acquired between 1567 and 1575. Due to the timber-framing and construction, its construction can be dated to the first quarter of the 16th century.
  4. ^ Bernhard Peter: Photos of beautiful old coats of arms No. 88: Pommersfelden in Franconia: Weissenstein Castle in Pommersfelden , Heraldic Website, accessed on January 11, 2017
  5. ^ Rüdiger Fuchs: Die insschriften der Stadt Worms , Worms 1991, No. 772 ( Liebfrauenstift: grave plate of Maria Ursula Wambolt von Umstadt, née von Schönborn ), p. 53 ( online at www.inschriften.net ).
  6. ^ Johann Gottfried Biedermann: Genealogy of the high count houses in the Franconian Cräyse , 1745, family table Schönborn, table CV
  7. ↑ Hans Friedrich von Ehrenkrook: Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels , Volume 54, P. 407
  8. ↑ On the other hand, 1694 is given as the year of death , in: Ernst Heinrich Kneschke (Ed.): Neues Allgemeine Deutsches Adels-Lexicon , Volume 9 (Steinhaus - Zwierlein), Leipzig 1870, p. 470
  9. ↑ (arr.) Leopold Nedopil: German nobility samples from the German Ordens-Central-Archive , Volume 2, Vienna 1868, No. 7499, p. 481
  10. ↑ See Siegfried RCT Enders: Darmstadt-Dieburg district (monument topography of the Federal Republic of Germany - cultural monuments in Hesse) , Braunschweig / Wiesbaden, 1988, p. 220 f.
  11. ↑ Bernhard Peter: Photos of beautiful old coats of arms No. 1375: The Wambolt-Hof in Bensheim , Heraldic Website, accessed on January 11, 2017
  12. ↑ For the coat of arms of the von Hoheneck cf. Bernhard Peter: Photos of beautiful old coats of arms No. 43: Würzburg - a heraldic delicacy: grave monument of Johann Philipp von Hoheneck in St. Burkard , heraldic website, accessed on January 11, 2017
  13. ↑ a b Amelie Seck: "Simply lust on it". The renovation of Wambolt's castle in Groß-Umstadt is progressing. In: Monuments. Magazine for Monument Culture in Germany , Vol. 27 (2017), Issue 3, pp. 28–29.
  14. ↑ 42nd Day of the Hessian Monument Preservation in Groß-Umstadt , website of the city; accessed on March 7, 2019
  15. ^ Urban redevelopment in Groß-Umstadt of supraregional importance , website of the State Office for Monument Preservation Hesse; accessed on March 7, 2019

Coordinates: 49 ° 52 ′ 6.4 "  N , 8 ° 55 ′ 37.9"  E