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Founded: 1290Category: Castles and fortifications in Germany
Historical period: Habsburg Dynasty (Germany)
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Schloss Jühnde is a former castle in Jühnde, Lower Saxony, now a protected historic monument. Since 1664, it has been owned and inhabited by the noble family Freiherren von Grote.
The estate was first mentioned in 960 under Emperor Otto I. A castle was built by 1290 along the trade route between Münden and Göttingen. After the local noble family von June died out in 1463, the property passed through various families. The castle gained a reputation as a robber baron's stronghold, leading to its capture and destruction by citizens of Göttingen in 1484. It was rebuilt from 1489, including the 29-meter-high Moshus tower, whose lower floors feature vaulted ceilings.
The castle was burned during the Thirty Years' War. In 1664, Otto Grote zu Schauen, a court advisor, took over the estate and rebuilt it between 1668–1671. His descendant Otto Ulrich Grote transformed the site into a romantic residence with landscaped parklands around 1806.
About 200 meters southeast of the castle, the Jühnder Warte, a medieval watchtower from around 1420, stands at the edge of the park. It once formed part of the Göttingen Landwehr, a local defense system.
Duino Castle was built by the Wallsee family in 1389 on the cliffs overlooking the Gulf of Trieste. It replaced an older castle from the 11th century. Over time, the Wallsee family disappeared and the castle, after having been used as a prison, became the residence of the Luogar and Hofer.
At the end of the 19th century it became the property of Prince Alexander von Thurn und Taxis from the Czech branch of the House of Thurn and Taxis. It remains with the family to this day with his great-grandson Prince Carlo Alessandro della Torre e Tasso, Duke of Castel Duino the current owner. The castle has been opened to the public as a museum and park.