Hellenstein Castle: Difference between revisions

48°40′33″N 10°08′54″E / 48.67583°N 10.14833°E / 48.67583; 10.14833

Schloss Hellenstein is a castle located on a hill above the city of Heidenheim an der Brenz in eastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was once the home of the Lords of Hellenstein.

The castle was first built during the 12^th Century by the Hellenstein family. In 1273 the castle passed out of the control of the Hellensteins and had several owners before coming under the control of the Dukes of Württemberg. On August 5, 1530 the old castle burned to the ground and was rebuilt during the mid-16^th Century. At the end of the 16^th Century it was exanded to the east into a new castle. During the 17^th and early 18^th Century the castle was at its peak as a symbol of the Württemburg family. Around 1762 the family could no longer maintain the castle and it began to fall into disrepair. Eventually some of the stones were sold off as building material.

In 1901 the former castle church was aquired by the Folk and Ancient History Society of Heidenheim as a museum. The museum expanded throughout the first half of the 20^th Century, until in 1956 the entire castle was rebuilt as a museum. In 1993 the city of Heidenheim took over the museum from the Society. Today the castle is home to several museums which are open year round.

History

The site is first mentioned in 1096 by Gozbert de Halensteine whose family may have built the castle in the castle in the early 12^th Century. Within the castle wall there are many buckel stones (squared stone blocks with a rounded or rough outer surface) that date from this time period. The castle remained in the hands of the Hellensteins until 1273 when they died out. For almost 80 years the castle passed through several owners. Then in 1351 the counts of Helfenstein acquired the castle. They would rule for nearly a century until 1448. Finally in 1503 the castle came under the control of the dukes of Württemberg.

On August 5, 1530 the castle burned to the ground. Ulrich I. von Württemberg ordered that the castle be rebuilt a few years later, the reconstruction lasted from 1537 to 1544. When Duke Frederick I assumed the thone in 1593, he decided that a new castle should be built as an extension east of the old castle. A planning commission was set up which selected the master builder Henry Schickhardt in 1595. The walls were extended and new towers were built. Two large, decorated towers were built next to the new main gate. The construction lasted until 1611^[1]

During the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) the castle was damaged and the complex water supply system was destroyed. Before the castle could be reoccupied, a new water supply had to be found. From 1666 to 1670 the Kindlesbrunnen a 78 Meter (256 feet) was dug in the southern part of the castle. The name, Kindlesbrunnen (German: baby fountain), comes from a local legend that instead of being brought by the stork, babies are pulled from the well before they are born. The well cost about 6,750 Guilder or about €500,000 in modern currency.

During the 17^th and early 18^th Century the castle was at its peak. Artists and sculptors were brought in to decorate and beautify the castle. In 1593 Frederick I commissioned the Bavarian court painter Friedrich Sustris to paint the walls and ceiling of the round tower. The castle also hosted many famous guests including Albrecht von Wallenstein (1630), Prince Eugene of Savoy (1702), Archduke Charles of Austria, (1796) and Napoleon Bonaparte (1805).

By the mid-18^th Century the castle had lost importance. Around 1762 the duchy could no longer support renovations on Hellenstein. In 1810 the upper floor of the tower battery was removed and sold as building material. Unfortunately, the wall and ceiling paintings by Friedrich Sustris were destroyed when the upper floor was removed. In 1820 the Ministry of Finance authorized the sale and demolition of the entire old castle. A year later the paper factory Völter, removed portions of the castle to provide building material for their factory. In 1837 the royal planning commission forbade anyone else to remove stones from Hellenstein.

External links

• (German) Hellenstein castle on burgenwelt.de
• (German) Hellenstein castle on burgen.de
• (German) City of Heidenheim website

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References