Lichtenstein Castle, Honau, Germany

Lichtenstein Castle is a Gothic Revival castle built in the 1840s. Historically, there has been a castle on the site located at the Albtrauf, above the source of the river Echaz since around 1200. It was twice destroyed, once in the Reichskrieg"s War of 1311 and again by the city-state of Reutlingen in 1377. The castle was not reconstructed and subsequently fell to ruin. It is today known as Burg Alt-Lichtenstein.

A new castle was built c. 1390 around 500 m away from the ruin, in the location where today"s structure stands. After 1567 it lost its role as a lordly seat and fell into disrepair.

In 1802, the land came into the hands of King Frederick I of Württemberg, who dismantled the ruins of the castle and built a hunting lodge there. In 1837, the land was bought from King Wilhelm I of Württemberg by his cousin Duke Wilhelm of Urach, Count of Württemberg, who, inspired by Wilhelm Hauff"s novel Lichtenstein, added the current castle in 1840–42. The romantic Gothic Revival design of the castle was created by the architect Carl Alexander Heideloff. In 1842, the castle was inaugurated in the presence of the king.

Today, the castle is still owned by the Dukes of Urach, but is open to visitors. The castle contains a large collection of historic weapons and armour.

The romantic design of the castle inspired several other buildings. The design of the castle at Lietzow was based on Lichtenstein. Likewise, the house known as 'Leckzapfen' in Osthofen took its cue from Lichtenfels. A Cape Town businessman, Reynier Fritz, who was well known in advertising circles, first saw the 19th-century Schloss Lichtenstein in the land of his ancestors, and decided to one day replicate it in Hout Bay. He was able to start building in 1986 and 12 years later it was completed. He eventually turned it into a guest house before he died there. Sometime after his death, his widow, Christine, sold it to an overseas buyer.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Alex Lozano (3 years ago)
Beautiful castle. Beautiful backdrop. Wonderful hiking. Will definitely visit again. I highly recommend a visit to this castle.

christophhelmholz (3 years ago)
If u don't like to 3 Euro for a walk inside. Go right the path directly for the castle and u arrive beautiful sightseeing points for photographing downside the valley. Than have a little walk in the forest and u get a wonderful time.

Jean Nash (3 years ago)
Great place for quick day trip 1 hour south of Stuttgart. Open 7 days a week. Check website for hours. Pet friendly, easy parking within yards of the castle itself (2 euros). Two restaurants with good food. Outdoor and indoor dining available. The castle itself varies in price depending upon whether you go inside or just walk the grounds (9 to 3 euros respectively). Awesome views of the valley below. Walking trails throughout the area that link you up with other local sites, like the caves in the area. AND, there is also "Jungle Gym", for the lack of better words. An elevated rope and treehouse play area for children; however i would caution against young children, as didn't see any safety netting under any of the rope bridges or tree platforms. Parents are the best judge for these types of things. There is a playground directly adjacent to the parking lots separated by a treeline. Again, check the website for other details, great day from Stuttgart.

Nina van Leeuwen (3 years ago)
Very pretty views. But car park is €2 and entrance to Schloß is €3. So not sure if that’s worth it. Maybe if you stay a bit longer for a walk and drink. There was also a climbing park there which looked cool

Abhinav Ganorkar (3 years ago)
Breathtaking views from the top. Many things to do if you are going with kids. Good schwäbisch food at the restaurant. Ample space for car parking. Can also take a walk in the forest nearby. Trekking trails uphill up to the castle.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright caminanteK

Historic Site of the week

Château de Foix

The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.

In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.

Do you know an ancient castle or magnificent church near you?

Why not share it with other people interested in history? You can add your own historic sites and attractions to SpottingHistory.com.

It's absolutely free, easy, and doesn't even need registration!

Upload data

Lichtenstein Castle

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Gothic Cathedrals of Belgium

Migthy Cathar Castles

Hidden Gems of Finnish Archipelago

Historic Site of the week

Château de Foix

Looks like you are a history fan!