Location: Wierschem, Rhineland- Palatinate Map
Bus: to Wierschem
Open: Apr- Oct daily
Burg Eltz or Eltz Castle is a hilltop castle from the 12th century. It is located in the valley of the Elz, which separates the Maifeld from the Eifel, south of the village on the district of Wierschem in Rhineland-Palatinate at 129 m above sea level. NHN. The building is one of the most famous castles in Germany. Like the Bürresheim Castle and the Lissingen Castle, it is one of those fortifications in the Eifel that could never be conquered by force.
Founding in the High Middle Ages
The
castle in the valley of the Elzbach (also: Elz) was probably built
at the beginning of the 12th century on a trade route between the
Moselle region and the fertile Maifeld. The name Eltz was first
mentioned in 1157 in a deed of gift from Frederick I Barbarossa, in
which “Rudolfus de Elze” appears as a witness. The late Romanesque
keep Platt-Eltz and remains of the Romanesque house have been
preserved.
The Elz flows around the castle on three sides and
rises on an elliptical rock head up to 70 meters high. The builders
based the layout on the shape of the rock formation. This resulted
in the sometimes unusual floor plans of the individual rooms.
The first tribal division of the Lords of Eltz took place before
1268 under the brothers Elias, Wilhelm and Theoderich, with the
castle and the property belonging to it being divided between the
three brothers.
Eltz-Kempenich called "Eltz from the golden
lion"
Eltz-Rübenach called "Eltz of the silver lion"
Eltz-Rodendorf called "Eltz of the Buffalo Horns"
The names
of the main lines come from the wives by marriage who came from
Kempenich Castle, Rübenach and Rodendorf (today Château-Rouge,
Moselle department, Lorraine). All families then remained at the
castle in a community of heirs; Eltz Castle was henceforth a
Ganerbeburg, on which the parts of the castle bear the names of the
partial lines.
With the purchase of Baron von Eltz-Rübenach's
share (silver lion), the family castle became the sole property of
the main line of counts and nobles from and to Eltz, called Faust
von Stromberg (Eltz-Kempenich; golden lion).
Connection to
Münstermaifeld
There was a connection with Münstermaifeld over
the centuries. The Eltz gentlemen were active in the administration
of the city throughout the late Middle Ages. Eltz graves are located
in the former collegiate church Münstermaifeld. The epitaphs of the
couple Cuno von Eltz and Ella von Esch, two basalt relief plates,
the marble grave of Nikolaus von Eltz and his wife Maria von Hoort
and a marble monument for their son Johann Wilhelm Antonius
Bertramus Herr zu Eltz, Canon of Trier, are particularly artistic .
The sons of von Eltz were canons in the Münstermaifeld monastery for
centuries. Lothar von Eltz, who was elected the rightful
“Praepositus” in the chapter on “Monster Meynfelt” in 1267, became
known through a dispute with the Pope that lasted for many decades.
Elias von Eltz (1331–1347) was one of the most energetic pen sprays
in Münstermaifeld.
Conflict with Baldwin of Trier
In the
years 1331–1336 there were the only serious armed conflicts over the
castle. During the Eltz feud, the Eltz lords, together with other
free imperial knights, opposed the territorial policy of Archbishop
and Elector Baldwin of Trier. For the siege and a possible capture
of Eltz Castle by catapult fire, the Archbishop of Trier had the
Trutzeltz siege castle built on a rocky promontory on the slope
above the castle, which today has only a few ruins. The besieged
could hold out for two years, but then had to give up. The free
imperial knights had to renounce their imperial freedom. Baldwin
reappointed Johann burgrave, but as his subjects and no longer as a
free knight.
Early modern age
The name Eltz-Rodendorf goes
back to the marriage of Hans Adolf zu Eltz with Katharine von
Brandscheid zu Rodendorf in 1563. In addition, through marriage he
acquired the rule of Rodendorf in the Lothringer Amt Busendorf
(today: Bouzonville).
Between 1490 and 1540, the later
so-called Rodendorfer houses were built on Eltz Castle. The
courtyard front of the houses opens up with a vaulted porch resting
on three pillars. Next to her is a Madonna mosaic from the 19th
century that is inlaid in the outer wall.
Jakob III, born in
1510. von Eltz was one of the most important electors in the history
of the Archdiocese of Trier. Jakob zu Eltz became canon in 1525,
capitular in 1535 and dean of Trier in 1547. He was also rector of
the University of Trier from 1564. In 1567 he was elected Archbishop
of Trier in Koblenz.
The Kempenich houses were built between
1604 and 1661. With their architectural composition and their
structured half-timbering, they complete the overall impression of
the inner courtyard. A well was built under the mighty stair tower
to supply the entire castle with water.
The construction work was intensified and brought
to a close by Hans Jakob zu Eltz and his wife Anna Elisabeth von
Metzenhausen. On July 15, 1624, Hans Jakob zu Eltz was entrusted
with the office of Trier Hereditary Marshal. He was the supreme
command and leadership of the Trier knighthood.
In the period
from 1665 to 1743 the Eltz family in the Kurstaat Mainz achieved
their greatest influence. Philipp Karl von Eltz, born in 1665,
entered the German-Hungarian college in Rome in 1686. After the
death of the Elector of Mainz, Philipp Karl was elected as his
successor. He was thus spiritual leader and the most powerful church
prince north of the Alps.
Time from the Palatinate War of
Succession to French rule
In the Palatinate War of Succession
from 1688 to 1689, most of the Rhenish castles were destroyed. Since
Hans Anton zu Eltz-Üttingen was a high-ranking officer in the French
army, he was able to save Eltz Castle from destruction.
Count
Hugo Philipp zu Eltz (1742-1818) was treated as an emigrant during
the French rule on the Rhine from 1794 to 1814. His possessions on
the Rhine and near Trier were confiscated. Eltz Castle and the
associated goods were subordinate to the commandant's office in
Koblenz.
When it later turned out that Count Hugo Philipp had
not emigrated but stayed in Mainz, he came back to use his property
and pensions in 1797. He became the sole owner of the castle in 1815
through the purchase of the Rübenach house and the property of the
Barons von Eltz-Rübenach.
Restoration of the castle in the
19th century
In the 19th century, Count Karl zu Eltz was very
committed to the restoration of his castle. In the period from 1845
to 1888, the sum of 184,000 marks was invested in the extensive
construction work. According to today's purchasing power, this
corresponds to around 15 million euros. He proceeded carefully and
took the existing architecture into account.
Fire of 1920
On September 20, 1920, a fire broke out in the southern part of the
Kempenich house and spread to other parts of the building. In
particular, the chapel building and the archive above, the
furnishings of the Kempenich house and the ten upper rooms of the
Rodendorf house were destroyed. Reconstruction work (chapel and
house Rodendorf) and restorations in house Kempenich were finished
in 1930.
Securing and renovation (2009 to 2012)
Extensive
safety and restoration work took place between 2009 and 2012. Among
other things, the vault of the flag hall was endangered because of
the diverging walls, and the front building of the Kempenicher house
was statically secured. In addition to these static repairs, almost
all slate roofs were renewed. In the roof structures, structural
problems were resolved and wood pests were combated. Inside, the
heating and sanitary facilities, windows and fire alarm systems were
renewed and the historic plaster, the half-timbered facades and a
spiral staircase were restored. The renovation cost a total of
around 4.4 million euros. The measures were funded, among other
things, by a grant from the Federal Government's economic stimulus
package II with 2 million euros. The state of Rhineland-Palatinate,
the German Foundation for Monument Protection and the owners made
further funds available.
Award for Gräflich Eltz’sche
castellany (2014 and 2015)
In 2014, the Oskar Patzelt Foundation
recognized the 850-year-old company as a finalist in the Grand Prize
for Medium-Sized Enterprises, and in 2015 it was named a winner. A
quote from the laudation: "The company never aimed at maximizing
profit or short-term luxury for the respective owners, but rather at
the long-term preservation of the castle and the Eltz lands. This
has been achieved over the centuries thanks to the commitment to
sustainability and limitation to what is necessary and the always
close to the region. "
Owners
The castle has been owned by
the family of the same name for more than 800 years. Your current
owner, Karl Graf and Edler Herr von und zu Eltz-Kempenich, called
Faust von Stromberg, lives in Frankfurt am Main and on the Eltzer
Hof in Eltville am Rhein. He took on the task of keeping the castle
open to the public, securing its substance and passing it on to the
34th generation.
The castle has been in the sole ownership of
the Eltz-Kempenich line (line of the golden lion) since 1815. The
ownership shares were bequeathed to the sons (if available) (male
fiefs). Here the respective ancestors of today's (Kempenicher) line.
In this respect, the “list of castle owners” is not complete, as
the other tribal lines are missing.
Rudolf von Eltz
Elias von Eltz
Peter von
Eltz (* around 1210)
Elias von Eltz (* around 1250)
Werner von
Eltz (* around 1290)
Peter III von Eltz (* around 1310)
Richard II. Von Eltz (* around 1335)
Peter V. von Eltz called von
Isenburg (* around 1355)
Richard III von Eltz (* around 1370; †
October 4, 1423)
Johann VII. Von Eltz (* around 1410 - † December
4, 1480)
Johann VIII. Von Eltz (* around 1445; † 1508)
Johann
von Eltz (* around 1460; † 1517)
Johann von Eltz (* around 1495 -
† November 4, 1547)
Georg von Eltz (* around 1530; † 1562)
Johann Reichard von und zu Eltz (* May 31, 1555; † 1606)
Johann
Anton, noble gentleman from and to Eltz (* 1595 - † September 2,
1671 in Koblenz)
Johann Jacob, Freiherr von und zu Eltz (born
January 25, 1636)
Karl Anton Ernst Damian Henrich, Count von und
zu Eltz (born May 25, 1671 in Kempenich; † July 19, 1736 in Koblenz)
Anselm Casimir Franz, count and noble lord von und zu Eltz called
Faust von Stromberg (born June 27, 1709 in Koblenz, † January 25,
1778 in Mainz)
Hugo Philipp, Count von Eltz called Faust von
Stromberg (born February 1, 1742 in Mainz, † November 20, 1818 in
Koblenz)
Johann Philipp Jakob, Count von Eltz called Faust von
Stromberg (* May 5, 1779 in Bingen or Mainz (?); † April 22, 1844)
Karl, Count von Eltz called Faust von Stromberg (born January
29, 1823 in Aschaffenburg; † May 26, 1900 in Vukovar)
Johann
Jakob Peter August Johann-Nepomuk, Count von Eltz (born February 13,
1860 in Vukovar; † June 22, 1906 ibid)
Karl, Graf von Eltz (born
July 17, 1896 in Eltville; † August 21, 1922)
Jakob, Graf von
Eltz (born September 22, 1921 in Kleinheubach; † February 10, 2006
in Eltville)
Karl, Count von Eltz (born May 1, 1948 in Eltville)
Sightseeing
Part of the castle can be visited in the summer
months. Guided tours are offered daily between April 1st and
November 1st.
The facility, which has been brought together
from the family property from different centuries, presents itself
to the visitor as a museum in the area open to the public. In the
Rübenach house, for example, there is a collection of weapons set up
in the 19th century, a salon and a bedchamber with a chapel bay
window from 1531 and a four-poster bed from 1520. In the Rodendorfer
house, the tour goes through a chimney room with baroque and rococo
furniture, the so-called knight's hall The negotiation and ballroom
of all three family lines served, a children's room with one of the
last remaining, painted Renaissance beds from 1525 and one of
originally three kitchens. The Kempenicher Haus is excluded from the
tour.
The outstanding art treasures of the interiors include
the oil painting Madonna with Child and Bunch of Grapes by Lucas
Cranach the Elder, several panel paintings from the Cologne and
Saxon Schools, a book picture Liber Vitae (attributed to Michael
Pacher or his school) and Flemish tapestries from the 16th and 17th
centuries 17th century. The furnishings in the taste of the 19th
century include a striking majolica tiled stove in bright colors
from 1881 (replica of the original in the Germanic Museum Nuremberg
from 1540) as well as rich collections of Chinese and Delft
porcelain as well as Westerwald ceramics.
The masterpieces of
the art collection with over 500 exhibits from the 12th to the 19th
century are exhibited in the treasury in the cellar vaults of the
Rübenach house. The works of the Augsburg gold and silversmith's art
include a 1.10 m high statue of the bridge saint Johannes Nepomuk by
Franz Christoph Mäderl (1752), Diana on the stag (around 1600) as
well as numerous ceremonial vessels and sacred objects. There is a
Höchst porcelain collection, a clock collection from the 16th to
18th centuries and a small glass collection. In addition, various
curiosities such as B. the ducat shit, the monster and gluttony are
shown promoted by alcoholism, which served as vessels and
containers. Some furnishings from Eltz Castle in Vukovar are also
presented in the treasure chamber, for example a dinner service from
the Augarten porcelain factory.