Schwarzenfels Castle
Burg Schwarzenfels is about 7 miles south of Oberkalbach, closest to the villages of Mottgers, Oberzell, Weichersbach and Zuentersbach. It was named Schwarzenfels (Black Rock) because of the materials from which it was constructed. It is now mostly a ruin. This link takes you to a YouTube video that is 10 minutes long and accompanied by music.
According to the book Bergwinkel Chronik by Wilhelm Praesent, a time-line history of the county of Schluechtern, the first mention of the castle Schwarzenfels in history was in 1280 A.D. when Ulrich I of Hanau allowed the Margarete Chapel to be built in the castle. In 1305, the castle chaplain was Hermann; a chaplain Hartmann died in 1378; then a cleric named Konrad Wibel was named.
Information on Wikipedia states that In 1621 additions were made to the castle and it was renovated as a residential palace. For some years, widows of the House of Hanau were housed here. Later, Count Albrecht occupied it until his death without heirs. Sometime during the latter part of the Thirty Years' War 1618-1648 the castle was destroyed and the main part of the castle was abandoned.
Portions of buildings and portals as well as some walls of the castle remain today. A large building that was once a stable built in 1557 was renovated and used for many years (approximate 1723 to 1875) as a civil office where the residents of nearby villages (Breunings, Heubach, Jossa, Mittelsinn, Mottgers, Neuengronau, Obersinn, Oberzell, Sterbfritz, Schwarzenfels, Uttrichshausen, Weichersbach and Zuentersbach) came to apply for government permission to marry. After applications were approved by the authorities, the couples could get married in their own village churches.
The castle now belongs to the administration of State Palaces and Gardens of Hessen and since 2007 the usable area has been leased to a club that was initiated by the citizens of Schwarzenfels. This group has been sponsoring a youth hostel in the the stable building since 1979.
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Burg Schwarzenfels is about 7 miles south of Oberkalbach, closest to the villages of Mottgers, Oberzell, Weichersbach and Zuentersbach. It was named Schwarzenfels (Black Rock) because of the materials from which it was constructed. It is now mostly a ruin. This link takes you to a YouTube video that is 10 minutes long and accompanied by music.
According to the book Bergwinkel Chronik by Wilhelm Praesent, a time-line history of the county of Schluechtern, the first mention of the castle Schwarzenfels in history was in 1280 A.D. when Ulrich I of Hanau allowed the Margarete Chapel to be built in the castle. In 1305, the castle chaplain was Hermann; a chaplain Hartmann died in 1378; then a cleric named Konrad Wibel was named.
Information on Wikipedia states that In 1621 additions were made to the castle and it was renovated as a residential palace. For some years, widows of the House of Hanau were housed here. Later, Count Albrecht occupied it until his death without heirs. Sometime during the latter part of the Thirty Years' War 1618-1648 the castle was destroyed and the main part of the castle was abandoned.
Portions of buildings and portals as well as some walls of the castle remain today. A large building that was once a stable built in 1557 was renovated and used for many years (approximate 1723 to 1875) as a civil office where the residents of nearby villages (Breunings, Heubach, Jossa, Mittelsinn, Mottgers, Neuengronau, Obersinn, Oberzell, Sterbfritz, Schwarzenfels, Uttrichshausen, Weichersbach and Zuentersbach) came to apply for government permission to marry. After applications were approved by the authorities, the couples could get married in their own village churches.
The castle now belongs to the administration of State Palaces and Gardens of Hessen and since 2007 the usable area has been leased to a club that was initiated by the citizens of Schwarzenfels. This group has been sponsoring a youth hostel in the the stable building since 1979.
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Brandenstein Castle
Burg Brandenstein is a medieval castle about 7 miles southwest of Oberkalbach and a half mile northeast of Schluechtern. It is situated on a hill 325 meters above sea level. The closest villages are Elm, Hutten, Gundhelm and Herolz. The surrounding hill is forested and has an orchard on its southern slope.
The castle was first mentioned in 1278 in the earliest surviving historical documents. The castle was probably built after 1243 by a branch of the Lords of Steckelberg. It was the property of Hermann von Brandenstein and In 1307 a fief of the Bishopric of Würzburg. In 1316 it became the property of Ulrich IV of Hanau. He expanded it for use as his official residence. From 1424 to 1540 the castle was in the possession of the Lords of Eberstein, who enlarged it even more. In 1522 Burg Brandenstein was bombarded and conquered because of a feud. After 1540 the castle was rebuilt into a Renaissance chateau. During the Thirty Years' War it was a refuge for the inhabitants of the surrounding villages. It changed ownership numerous times over the centuries.
In 1872, a 144 meter long tunnel of the railway line between Flieden and Gemünden was constructed near the access road to Brandenstein about 100 meters in front of the castle. In 1895 the castle came back into the hands of a Brandensteiner when Gustav von Brandenstein bought the castle and renovated it. In 1905 , Alexander von Brandenstein took possession. When he married In 1909 the daughter of the legendary Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, he was appointed Count. Now he bore the family name Brandenstein-Zeppelin. To this day, the castle is owned by the family. The owner of the castle is now Dr. Constantin Graf von Brandenstein-Zeppelin.
Since 1970, a wood museum is housed in the former stables. Over 800 historic wooden items such as the hand-carved clothespin have been displayed here. Upstairs is a collection of the life and work of the physician and researcher Philipp Franz von Siebold, great-grandfather of today's lords.
From 1770 to 1832, Brandenburg Castle served as a civil office for residents of Elm, Hutten, Gundhelm and Oberkalbach to apply for government permission to get married. After approval from the authorities, residents were allowed to marry in their village churches.
Links to other castles in the area are:
Ramholz
Steckelberg Castle ruin near Ramholz
Steckelberg Castle ruin near Ramholz
Steinau
Steinau
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Copyright 2000-2022 by Sue (Ursula Kaiser) Foster. Please contact me for permission to copy.
I would love to know why this information interests you. :-)
Burg Brandenstein is a medieval castle about 7 miles southwest of Oberkalbach and a half mile northeast of Schluechtern. It is situated on a hill 325 meters above sea level. The closest villages are Elm, Hutten, Gundhelm and Herolz. The surrounding hill is forested and has an orchard on its southern slope.
The castle was first mentioned in 1278 in the earliest surviving historical documents. The castle was probably built after 1243 by a branch of the Lords of Steckelberg. It was the property of Hermann von Brandenstein and In 1307 a fief of the Bishopric of Würzburg. In 1316 it became the property of Ulrich IV of Hanau. He expanded it for use as his official residence. From 1424 to 1540 the castle was in the possession of the Lords of Eberstein, who enlarged it even more. In 1522 Burg Brandenstein was bombarded and conquered because of a feud. After 1540 the castle was rebuilt into a Renaissance chateau. During the Thirty Years' War it was a refuge for the inhabitants of the surrounding villages. It changed ownership numerous times over the centuries.
In 1872, a 144 meter long tunnel of the railway line between Flieden and Gemünden was constructed near the access road to Brandenstein about 100 meters in front of the castle. In 1895 the castle came back into the hands of a Brandensteiner when Gustav von Brandenstein bought the castle and renovated it. In 1905 , Alexander von Brandenstein took possession. When he married In 1909 the daughter of the legendary Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, he was appointed Count. Now he bore the family name Brandenstein-Zeppelin. To this day, the castle is owned by the family. The owner of the castle is now Dr. Constantin Graf von Brandenstein-Zeppelin.
Since 1970, a wood museum is housed in the former stables. Over 800 historic wooden items such as the hand-carved clothespin have been displayed here. Upstairs is a collection of the life and work of the physician and researcher Philipp Franz von Siebold, great-grandfather of today's lords.
From 1770 to 1832, Brandenburg Castle served as a civil office for residents of Elm, Hutten, Gundhelm and Oberkalbach to apply for government permission to get married. After approval from the authorities, residents were allowed to marry in their village churches.
Links to other castles in the area are:
Ramholz
Steckelberg Castle ruin near Ramholz
Steckelberg Castle ruin near Ramholz
Steinau
Steinau
HOME FOLK SONGS
Copyright 2000-2022 by Sue (Ursula Kaiser) Foster. Please contact me for permission to copy.
I would love to know why this information interests you. :-)