Burg Nassau
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The ruins of Burg Nassau (en: Nassau Castle) are a typical example of a summit-castle, rising near the town of the same name Nassau on a rock cone 120 meters over the Lahn river in the German Land (State) of Rhineland-Palatinate. The builders were from an ancient aristocratic dynasty, whose descendants are today the rulers of the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
[edit] History
It was first mentioned in 1093 with the nomination of count Dudo von Laurenburg in the founding-charter of the monastery of Maria Laach. Since that document however has been proven by historians to be a fake, that year is not a reliable indication. The guaranteed beginnings of the castle date around the year 1100. In 1120 Count Ruprecht I of Lauenburg (also known as Rupert I) and his brother Arnold I the Nassau Castle mountain with its tower into their possession. They renovated and extended the castle complex in 1124.
Because at that time the castle however stood on the territory of the diocese of Worms, a bitter feud developed between the family of the two brothers and the bishopric of Worms. It was only solved in 1159 by intervention of the Archbishops of Trier Hillin von Fallemanien. The Laurenburger count family gave up their allodial title and in return were given the fiefdom over the castle and town of Nassau from the archbishop. From now on the Laurenburger family called itself the Count of Nassau (de: Grafen von Nassau) after its fiefdom. The first count to call himself that was Count Heinrich I of Nassau, in 1160.
His great-cousin Heinrich II of Nassau - also called Heinrich the Rich (Heinrich der Reiche) - constructed the main building of the castle between 1220 to 1230 in the late-romanesque architecture.
In 1255 it came to the so-called "brother division" (Bruderteilung), where the county of Nassau was divided between Heinrichs sons Walram II of Nassau and Otto I of Nassau. Nassau Castle however remained as common possession of the two brothers (so-called Ganerbschaft in ancient germanic hereditary laws).
In the first half of the 14th century, the still-extant 33 meters high keep (or donjon) was build. In 1346 another second castle tower was mentioned, which however does no longer exist. During a family feud in the year 1372 the housing of the castle keepers were destroyed.
Up to the end of the Middle Age the castle was inhabited, then however the counts gave it up as their residence. Thus the gradual decline of the complex began. An etching by Matthäus Merian from 17th Century shows still another an intact Palas and keep as well as a gate building. When in 1970 archeological surveys were done to open the rectangular Burgbering, only ruins were left.
Starting in 1976 restoration of the keep took place: Its hipped roof and merlon as well as the side towers were again reconstructed after the etching by Merian and the six to eight meters high arcaded vault in its interiors were restored. Furthermore the opening between the to the dungeon of the tower was cleared free.
The reconstruction of the Palas and its knight's hall followed from 1979 to 1980. During the course of the restoration the late-gothic window-arcades were rediscovered.
The Burg Nassau came 1965 into the possession of the state castle-admininstration of Rhineland-Palatinate (Staatliche Schlösserverwaltung Rheinland-Pfalz). The main building today accommodates a restaurant, the keep can be visited free of charge.
[edit] External links
- Homepage of the Castle-restaurant with a very detailed history of the counts of Nassau, in German language
[edit] Literature
- Landesamt für Denkmalpflege Rheinland-Pfalz, Verwaltung der staatlichen Schlösser (Hrsg.): Staatliche Burgen, Schlösser und Altertümer in Rheinland-Pfalz. 6. überarbeitete und erweiterte Auflage. Mainz 1997.
