Battenberg Castle Ruins

Battenberg, Germany

It is presumed that the Battenberg castle was constructed by Count Frederick III of Leiningen (d. 1287), and it remained a possession of the House of Leiningen - until 1689, when it was destroyed during the War of the Palatine Succession by French troops. Together with Neuleiningen Castle, on the opposite hillside 1,400 metres to the north, it controlled access to the Eckbach valley.

On three sides the outer walls of the castle follow the edge of the steep-sided hill spur. The wall on the fourth side was protected by a moat, now completely filled in. Surviving structures include: the outer walls, a gate tower on the western side near the northwest corner of the site, a battery tower with embrasure in the centre of the south side, and the vaulted cellar and foundations of a large dwelling. Attached to this is a staircase tower, erected in the 16th century, which is still standing.

The ruins are in private ownership but there is limited public access.

References:

Comments

Your name


Address

K30, Battenberg, Germany
See all sites in Battenberg

Details

Founded: 13th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Germany
Historical period: Hohenstaufen Dynasty (Germany)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Neuleiningen Castle (1,2 km)


Mainz Cathedral (52,7 km)
Speyer Cathedral (32,2 km)
Worms Cathedral (18,9 km)
Bruchsal Palace (55,6 km)
St. Augustine's Church (52,5 km)
Schwetzingen Palace (34,9 km)
St. Stephen’s Church (52,3 km)
Niederwalddenkmal (52,9 km)
Mannheim Palace (23,5 km)

User Reviews

worldfootage (2 years ago)
Man benötigt viel Zeit, wenn man speisen möchte.
Nicole Gräbner (2 years ago)
Schöne Burgruine wo man auch schön verweilen kann ,die Blitzröhren unterhalb der Burg sollte man sich auch anschauen .Die Burg ist super mit dem Leininger Burgenweg zu verbinden .
Franziska Lange (2 years ago)
Beautiful little thing. Like it's tiny by some standard, but well maintained.
Egon Lehmann (3 years ago)
Eine echte Ruine! Aber der Blick bei gutem Wetter über die Rheinebene entschädigt für die erste Enttäuschung. Der Bauernmarkt in und um die Burg im Herbst ist immer einen Besuch wert.
Katerina Duschanek (3 years ago)
Historische Anlage, rustikal eingerichtet. Zum Träumen und genießen. Das Essen im Restaurant empfehlenswert. Diese Burg haben wir eher zufällig entdeckt und waren begeistert. Nächstes Mal verbinden wir unseren Besuch mit der Übernachtung im dazugehörigen Hotel.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Most beautiful castles in Lithuania
Photo from Flickr, copyright CONTROTONO

Historic Site of the week

Palazzo Colonna

The Palazzo Colonna is a palatial block of buildings built in part over ruins of an old Roman Serapeum, and has belonged to the prestigious Colonna family for over twenty generations.

The first part of the palace dates from the 13th century, and tradition holds that the building hosted Dante in his visit to Rome. The first documentary mention notes that the property hosted Cardinal Giovanni and Giacomo Colonna in the 13th century. It was also home to Cardinal Oddone Colonna before he ascended to the papacy as Martin V (1417–1431).

With his passing, the palace was sacked during feuds, and the main property passed into the hands of the Della Rovere family. It returned to the Colonna family when Marcantonio I Colonna married Lucrezia Gara Franciotti Della Rovere, the niece of pope Julius II. The Colonna"s alliance to the Habsburg power, likely protected the palace from looting during the Sack of Rome (1527).

Starting with Filippo Colonna (1578–1639) many changes have refurbished and create a unitary complex around a central garden. Architects including Girolamo Rainaldi and Paolo Marucelli labored on specific projects. Only in the 17th and 18th centuries were the main facades completed. Much of this design was completed by Antonio del Grande (including the grand gallery), and Girolamo Fontana (decoration of gallery). In the 18th century, the long low facade designed by Nicola Michetti with later additions by Paolo Posi with taller corner blocks (facing Piazza Apostoli) was constructed recalls earlier structures resembling a fortification.

The main gallery (completed 1703) and the masterful Colonna art collection was acquired after 1650 by both the cardinal Girolamo I Colonna and his nephew the Connestabile Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna and includes works by Lorenzo Monaco, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Palma the Elder, Salviati, Bronzino, Tintoretto, Pietro da Cortona, Annibale Carracci (painting of The Beaneater), Guercino, Francesco Albani, Muziano and Guido Reni. Ceiling frescoes by Filippo Gherardi, Giovanni Coli, Sebastiano Ricci, and Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari celebrate the role of Marcantonio II Colonna in the battle of Lepanto (1571). The gallery is open to the public on Saturday mornings.

The older wing of the complex known as the Princess Isabelle"s apartments, but once housing Martin V"s library and palace, contains frescoes by Pinturicchio, Antonio Tempesta, Crescenzio Onofri, Giacinto Gimignani, and Carlo Cesi. It contains a collection of landscapes and genre scenes by painters like Gaspard Dughet, Caspar Van Wittel (Vanvitelli), and Jan Brueghel the Elder.

Along with the possessions of the Doria-Pamphilij and Pallavacini-Rospigliosi families, this is one of the largest private art collections in Rome.

Map Top Sights Tags Historical Periods City Guides About Us Sign Up Upload new site
© 2021 SpottingHistory.com. All rights reserved.