Details
Founded: 1246Category: Castles and fortifications in Germany
Historical period: Hohenstaufen Dynasty (Germany)
Interesting Sites Nearby
User Reviews
Sausenburg Castle was originally the stronghold of the lords of Sausenburg, and is built on a 665 metres high hill. At the beginning of the 12th century, the area was given to the Benedictine monks of the Monastery of St Blaise. The counts of Hachberg acquired the property in 1232 from the monastery. They built the castle in order to protect the area and lived there from 1246. In 1306, the counts founded the Sausenberg dynasty. From that point on, they called themselves the margraves of Hachberg-Sausenberg.
In 1315, Liuthold II of Roetteln, the last male member of his dynasty, bestowed Roetteln to the counts of Hachberg-Sausenberg. He died in 1316. The counts of Hachberg-Sausenberg moved to Rötteln Castle and established their advocates (vogts) on the Sausenberg.
John, the last of the counts of Freiburg, bestowed his property Badenweiler to the margraves of Hachberg-Sausenberg in 1444; the merger of Badenweiler, Rötteln, and Sausenberg marked the beginning of the Markgräflerland.
In 1503, through inheritance, the Sausenburg and the Markgräflerland became part of the Margraviate of Baden. The castle was destroyed in 1678 during the Franco-Dutch War by the army of French Marshal Créquy. At this point, medieval fortifications could not survive long against the advances in artillery and siege warfare.
Today an old circular rampart, a tower and several wall segments remain of the former castle.
References:Trenčín Castle is relatively large renovated castle, towering on a steep limestone cliff directly above the city of Trenčín. It is a dominant feature not only of Trenčín, but also of the entire Považie region. The castle is a national monument.
History of the castle cliff dates back to the Roman Empire, what is proved by the inscription on the castle cliff proclaiming the victory of Roman legion against Germans in the year 179.
Today’s castle was probably built on the hill-fort. The first proven building on the hill was the Great Moravian rotunda from the 9th century and later there was a stone residential tower, which served to protect the Kingdom of Hungary and the western border. In the late 13th century the castle became a property of Palatine Matúš Csák, who became Mr. of Váh and Tatras.
Matúš Csák of Trenčín built a tower, still known as Matthew’s, which is a dominant determinant of the whole building.