Details
Founded: 1515Category: Castles and fortifications in Germany
Historical period: Habsburg Dynasty (Germany)
User Reviews
Marienburg is located high above on the mountain ridge at which the Mosel bight of the Zell Hamm narrows to less than 300 metres. From here, visitors have a fantastic view of the wine-growing towns and villages of the Zell region and the almost 14 km long Mosel bight.
Over 1000 years ago there was already a castle where the Marienburg now stands. In 1146 an Augustinian convent was founded at the same location. This convent was dissolved in 1515 and a fortress was built in its place, which was destroyed in 1650 by French auxiliaries. The Marienburg was rebuilt in the Baroque period; some stretches of wall on the edge of the large car park date from the former Marienburg Farm, which supplied the Marienburg in the Middle Ages. The late Gothic choir is all that remains of the old convent church, which was rebuilt in 1957.
The Marienburg is therefore not only a location of natural beauty and historical memorability, it is also a building of art-historical interest and shows three building styles: the nave dates from the 12th century, the late Gothic choir dates from the second half of the 15th century and the elevated choir stonework with oval windows from the 18th century. Today, the building is home to the Marienburg youth education centre, with a guest house and conference centre.
References:Visby Cathedral (also known as St. Mary’s Church) is the only survived medieval church in Visby. It was originally built for German merchants and inaugurated in 1225. Around the year 1350 the church was enlarged and converted into a basilica. The two-storey magazine was also added then above the nave as a warehouse for merchants.
Following the Reformation, the church was transformed into a parish church for the town of Visby. All other churches were abandoned. Shortly after the Reformation, in 1572, Gotland was made into its own Diocese, and the church designated its cathedral.
There is not much left of the original interior. The font is made of local red marble in the 13th century. The pulpit was made in Lübeck in 1684. There are 400 graves under the church floor.