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Founded: 1721Category: Palaces, manors and town halls in Germany
Historical period: Thirty Years War & Rise of Prussia (Germany)
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The origins of the Alfter palace go back to the 12th century. After it was destroyed many times and each time rebuilt provisionally, in 1721 the castle site was converted into a Baroque palace. The two-floor manor flanked by towers was largely based on the style of the previous buildings, but a lower castle with wings was added. The office of the Elector of Cologne's hereditary Marshall has been associated with Schloss Alfter since 1188. In 1445 the site came under the ownership of the Count and later Elector zu Salm-Reifferscheidt-Dyck.
References:The Gravensteen is a castle in Ghent originating from the Middle Ages. The name means 'castle of the counts' in Dutch. Arnulf I (918–965), Count of Flanders, was the first to fortify this place, building a medieval bastion on this high sand dune, naturally protected by the river Leie and its marshy banks. This bastion consisted of a central wooden building and several surrounding buildings, also in wood.
In the early 11th century, the wooden building was replaced by a stone residence, consisting of three large halls that made up three storeys, connected by a stone stairwell. The monumental stone staircase, the light openings, the fireplaces built into the walls and the latrines were signs of considerable luxury and comfort in those days. There was probably also a tower.