Details
Founded: 13th centuryCategory: Castles and fortifications in Germany
Historical period: Habsburg Dynasty (Germany)
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The Electoral Castle, with its solid construction and bulky tower, forms the townscape and portrays the power of its builder, the Archbishop and Elector of Trier. The castle had many purposes. It was a fortification to keep enemies out, a stronghold to keep the Boppard nobles at bay and a toll castle for collecting toll from the ships passing Boppard and filling the Elector’s pockets.
Like most castles along the Rhine, Boppard’s Alte Burg was often destroyed and experienced many changes throughout the centuries. The following all have found a home in the castle: customs office, the town gendarmerie, police station, courthouse, prison and military hospital. For the last hundred years it has also been home to the town’s museum with a large collection of Thonet furniture (since the 1970’s). Of special interest are the frescos in the former castle chapel dating 2nd half of the 14th century.
References:The Beckov castle stands on a steep 50 m tall rock in the village Beckov. The dominance of the rock and impression of invincibility it gaves, challenged our ancestors to make use of these assets. The result is a remarkable harmony between the natural setting and architecture.
The castle first mentioned in 1200 was originally owned by the King and later, at the end of the 13th century it fell in hands of Matúš Èák. Its owners alternated - at the end of the 14th century the family of Stibor of Stiborice bought it.
The next owners, the Bánffys who adapted the Gothic castle to the Renaissance residence, improved its fortifications preventing the Turks from conquering it at the end of the 16th century. When Bánffys died out, the castle was owned by several noble families. It fell in decay after fire in 1729.
The history of the castle is the subject of different legends.