Levenburg Castle. The history of the ancient castle in Germany

In the park Wilhelmscholl (Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe), which is located in the city of Kassel (Kassel), there is a unique castle Löwenburg (Löwenburg). Looking at it, you might think that this is an old medieval building. However, it is not. It was built by order of Wilhelm IX at the end of the 18th century and served as a place for his love meetings with Caroline von Schlotheim, and also […]

AT Wilhelmscholl Park (Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe) what is in the city Kassel, located unique Löwenburg Castle. Looking at it, you might think that this is an old medieval building. However, it is not. It was built to order William IX at the end of the 18th century and served as a place for his love meetings with Caroline von Schlotheim, and also subsequently became the burial place of the landgrave.

From 1793 to 1801, the construction of the Levenburg Castle lasted. An architect worked on his project Heinrich Christoph Youssow. It took about a hundred years when the last castle was built in Germany, because with the advent of the Renaissance, aristocrats began to build palaces, preferring them to castles, but the famous architect enthusiastically set to work.

To build a beautiful romantic garden around Levenburg Castle, Yussov had to go to Great Britain in order to get to know the English romantic ruins better. At first, the customer planned only to rebuild the destroyed tower and an extension near it, but later a full-fledged castle grew on the hill, which was grouped around the courtyard.

In 1945 Levenburg Castle, which is also called lion castle, was significantly destroyed. Only the tower and part of the walls remained from it, the garden was also very badly damaged. Almost immediately after the war, work began on the restoration of Levenburg. As a result, the appearance of the castle has changed a lot. However, it continues to attract tourists today.

34131 Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe, Deutschland
museum-kassel.de‎

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Levenburg Castle - an ancient castle, also called the lion's castle. It is located in the German town of Kassel and is its most striking attraction. The castle is located on a 92-meter mountain in Bavaria, in the Wilhelmscholl park. It was commissioned by William IX and designed by the architect Heinrich Christoph, who had similar experience in France, England and Italy.
There is not much information about Levenburg, like about other, more famous castles in Germany. He does not possess long history, but at the same time deservedly took a place in the list of the most beautiful castles in the country.
Levenburg- a fairly young building, erected in the 17th century, although many attribute it to medieval castle. Near the palace there is an armory, where you can find weapons and armor of the XV-XVI centuries, and a chapel, which houses the grave of the founder of the castle. The ideological inspirer of the fake castle is William IX himself, who commissioned the architect to build a structure that could be compared with English medieval palaces. The castle looks like a real fortress, although in reality it is nothing like that. To implement the idea of ​​William IX, the architect specially had to go to England, for a more detailed study of the romantic ruins of the English fortresses, and draw up a plan for the construction of the magnificent Levenberg and the garden adjacent to it.
Story
Levenburg with its beautiful towers looks like a real castle from chivalric romances or European fairy tales, it was built at the end of the 18th century by the architect Heinrich Christoph Jussow at the meeting place of Wilhelm IX with his mistress Caroline von Schlotheim and then became his burial place. Having finished his earthly journey, the landgrave rested in a crypt under the chapel of his own free will. The castle is located in a unique mountain nature park Wilhelmscholl in Kassel, Germany, on a 92-meter high hill in the Bavarian Alps. The castle is considered one of the first significant examples of neo-Gothic architecture in Germany and serves as a recognizable emblem for a children's film company.
Levenburg differs from the magnificent Bavarian Neuschwanstein castle in terms of architecture, but this does not mean that Levenburg is less beautiful and dramatic. Today, Levenburg is more of an imitation of a castle surrounded by ruins, but it is still able to offer unforgettable journey in time.

The architect Heinrich Christoph Jussow worked on the construction of Levenburg from 1793 to 1801, centuries after castles were actually built in Germany (with the onset of the Renaissance, wealthy and noble customers began to prefer palaces to castles). He was a very popular architect with extensive knowledge, who worked not only at home, but also abroad, in France, Italy and England. Yussow made a special trip to Great Britain to study the English romantic ruins in order to build a large beautiful garden around Levenburg. This imitation of a medieval castle originally corresponded to the romantic rather than historical ideas of the Middle Ages and was deliberately built as artificial ruins. Initially, it was generally planned to build only a dilapidated tower with an extension, but in the end a complete castle appeared on the hill, grouped around the inner
yard. In 1945, British and Allied aircraft made several raids on Kassel, which, thanks to its military-industrial complex, was very important city for the war economy of Nazi Germany. Alas, the bombing covered the Lion's Castle. It was destroyed to a large extent, only the tower with the remains of the walls remained, the garden also suffered. In the post-war years, the reconstruction of Levenburg began, which quite noticeably changed the original appearance of the castle, and the work has not yet been completed.
Levenburg is considered one of the most attractive places for tourists on the territory of the Wilhelmscholl Park, which in Germany is something like the Disney Park in Tokyo. The whole complex is beautiful park in the English style, where you can see not only a `medieval` false fortress, but also the same artificial ruins of a Roman aqueduct, an English castle, Greek temples and even a fake Chinese village. This is one of the first facilities of its kind in Europe.
The interiors of Levenburg were cozy princely apartments, decorated in accordance with the trends of the Baroque era and decorated with numerous weapons and armor from the 16th and 17th centuries, but most of the historical collections have been stored in warehouses since the Second World War and will return to the castle only after the reconstruction is completed.

Artistic and historical role of Levenburg
Levenburg- one of the most beautiful castles in the world, which evokes clear associations with gothic, airy and very ancient in appearance. But it's kind of fake. The German Landgrave Wilhelm IX of Hesse built it at the beginning of the 19th century, inspired by medieval romance. The Landgrave lived in full accordance with the ideals of the Romantic era, and in fact, the castle served him as a place of retreat for himself and his beloved, Caroline von Schlotheim, who bore him a dozen children, despite the protests of Wilhelm's wife, Wilhelmina Caroline of Denmark. Wilhelmina limited herself to five offspring, so that her husband's mistress outdid her in this indicator. In 1821, Wilhelm died at the age of 78 in his beloved Levenburg.
The artistic and historical role of Levenburg in German architecture is enormous. We can say that the history of neo-Gothic in Germany begins with it, since this castle is the first significant building in this style. building
Sya Levenburg in 1793 - 1801, at a time when the era of the construction of fortified formidable castles in Germany had already ended for several centuries. It is an imitation of a medieval knight's castle, romantic appearance of ancient ruins. Today, the castle looks like it was fought around for at least a couple of hundred years of fierce battles with the change of hands of Levenburg. But in reality, the castle experienced real military damage only in the 20th century, but more on that below.
Initially, the architect Heinrich Christoph Yussof planned to build "romantic ruins" - one dilapidated tower with a small extension. To do this, he undertook a trip to England to study in detail the dilapidated English castles. The tower turned out to be not bad and moderately destroyed, but it was decided to build something else around it. In the end, a complete fortress was obtained, grouped around the courtyard. Also, a beautiful English garden was laid out here, in which you can see fake ruins, pseudo-Roman aqueducts and pseudo-Greek temples. The castle was built from tuff, which was available near the construction site in considerable quantities and was easily processed. The interior of the castle consists of four princely suites in the Baroque style. The towers contain a rich collection of historical weapons and ramming machines of the 16th-17th centuries. The castle chapel is a museum of medieval church supplies from the surrounding towns. Here, under the choirs, there is a crypt with the grave of the landgrave. During the war, numerous furnishings from the castle were evacuated from Levenburg. This historical collection is still not fully displayed in the castle - the Kassel management promises to do so after the restoration is fully completed.
During the Second World War, during the Allied air raids on Kassel, the castle was badly damaged. The main tower of Levenburg was mostly destroyed - only a few stairs with the remains of the walls remained from it. The castle was restored in the post-war years, but main tower are still being restored. Unfortunately, when restoring, they were mainly guided by functionality, and not by the accuracy of the transfer of details. However, the charm of Levenburg remained the same. The fortress stands on a hill above the city and evokes dreams of knightly tournaments, mighty armored men, beautiful ladies and troubadours.

Hi all! Today we will talk about the Lion's Castle. This is how the German castle Levenburg is called. This castle is on high mountain in Bavaria, the city of Kassel, in the Wilhelmshöhe park. The city of Kassel itself is part tourist route with the magical name "German Fairy Tale Road". This road runs through places associated with ancient traditions and legends. There are many secrets, a lot of antiquity, and, of course, castles. One of which we will talk about today.

The idea to build the castle of Levenburg (Schloss Löwenburg) came up with Wilhelm IX. According to his idea, it was supposed to be not just a castle, but something like a medieval English palace.

To realize his plans, the architect of Wilhelm IX Johann Christoph Wussow went to England. There he carefully and in detail studied the features of the ruins of medieval fortresses. After that, he created his own plan for a new "old" castle with the Yussov garden adjacent to it.

From 1793 to 1806, the builders carefully erected a dilapidated castle. As a result, a picturesque pseudo-fortress was born, surrounded by the greenery of the garden.

Castle features

Levenburg became one of the first such objects in Europe. The idea was liked by many, the fashion was soon picked up, and detailed ruins appeared in other cities. Creating a skillful imitation requires a flight of fancy, and it costs no less than building a “whole” park. Therefore, it is not so easy to surpass the creation of Christophe Wussow.

Let's start with what is picturesquely scattered in the garden:

• fake ruins
• Fake aqueducts in Rome
• cute "toy" ancient Greek temples
• around the castle there is an insurmountable (at least at first glance) moat that can be crossed over a drawbridge.
• the courtyard is surrounded by the essential attributes of any medieval castle: a tower-palace, a gallery and a gate.

In other words, Levenburg and the area around it look like they are covered in antiquity. architectural complex, a fortress that survived more than one siege.

No less unique is the internal atmosphere of the castle. Here, as it should be, there are medieval furniture, collections of armor and weapons, altar plates, tables for games, stained-glass windows and impressive statues.

On the territory of the castle complex there is a chapel with the tomb of William IX, who bequeathed to bury him here.

There is an armory near the castle, which is worth a look. It contains weapons and armor of the XV-XVI centuries.

Castle surroundings

If you go up the hill from Levenburg, you will see another huge palace.

This is the Wilhelmshöhe Palace. Now it is occupied by an art museum. The exposition includes expensive collections of monuments of ancient architecture and a gallery of old masters.

Alley near Levenburg Castle

The palace is also surrounded by a park, completely different stylistically. But the main attraction of the Wilhelmshöhe park, which gathers thousands of tourists, is a cascading fountain falling from under the feet of the mountain. giant statue Hercules.

Tip: of course, visiting these two parks and palaces must be combined. This is a single architectural complex on a hill.

Working hours

• January, February: from 10:00 to 16:00
• March - October: one hour longer.

What is the price

• adult ticket - €4
• €2 students, free entry for under 18s.

How to get there

It is very easy to get to the park in which the castle is located: either by tram number 1 to the Wilhelmshöhe stop, or to the station of the same name by train. Then walk through the park and past the Wilhelmshöhe castle. Or on a tourist train that runs through the park.

The train runs through the park only on Wednesdays. The cascading waterfall for tourists also works only on Wednesdays. In connection with the reconstruction of the park, this mode of operation will last until 2018.

Address: Schloss Wilhelmshöhe, 34131 Kassel, Germany

Levenburg Castle on the map

Levenburg Castle is a real find for connoisseurs of romantic ruins and classical European painting.

We hope that our article will help you see all the most interesting things in the park. Thanks for reading us. Subscribe to the news so you don't miss anything important. And see you soon!

Waldeck Castle, located in German city Waldeck, in the heart of the country, was built in 1270 by order of Count Adolf von Waldeck from gray stone in the Renaissance style. The place was chosen wonderful: in a recreation area on Lake Edersee, on a high hill, from which opens beautiful view on the national park Edersee.

Since 1906, a hotel has been located in the gray stone castle complex with the main two-story building and adjoining turrets and multi-level buildings, ready to accommodate everyone. The interiors of the castle have survived to the present day. Candlelight dinner according to old recipes is still served here, during which guests are entertained by jesters and musicians. Every August, reconstructions of knightly tournaments are held on the hotel grounds. To the Edersee lake, where you can do various activities water sports sports, play golf, ride horses and boats, guests of the castle are delivered by cable car in special booths.

Levenburg Castle

Levenburg is a fairly young building, built in the 17th century, although many attribute it to a medieval castle. Near the palace there is an armory, where you can find weapons and armor of the XV-XVI centuries, and a chapel, which houses the grave of the founder of the castle.

Löwenburg Castle is often referred to as a "fake castle". The ideological inspirer of the fake castle is William IX himself, who commissioned the architect to build a structure that could be compared with English medieval palaces. The castle looks like a real fortress, although in fact it is not a fortress.

To implement the idea of ​​William IX, the architect had to go to England specifically to study the ruins of the English fortresses in detail, and draw up a plan for the construction of the magnificent Levenberg and the garden adjacent to it. The whole complex is one beautiful garden in the English style, with thematic branches. This is the first of its kind in Europe. In the garden you can see fake palace ruins, fake aqueducts of Rome, and even Greek temples. Outside, the castle is surrounded by a moat, and you can get inside thanks to a drawbridge.

The interior atmosphere of the castle is also unique. Here you can find original medieval furniture, altar plates, weapons and armor, decorating the walls, tables for games, bronze statues and stained glass windows. The castle was deliberately built in such a way as if it had taken part in many battles and sieges. In fact, the effect of antiquity is artificial. Most of the halls and parts of Levenburg are freely accessible to tourists. Near the castle there is an armory with weapons and armor from the 16th-17th centuries, as well as a chapel-tomb of the founder.

Levenburg does not have the same history as the more famous German castles, but it deserves its place in the list of the most beautiful castles in Germany.

Rhinestein Castle

Rheinstein Castle with a crenellated rim at the top of the tower, which denoted the free status of the inhabitants, was built in the 10th century and served as a battle castle.

For all the time of its existence, the castle has not experienced a single serious siege. The most famous event that took place within the walls of the fortress was the trial of the robber knights Zoonek, Ehrenfels and Reichenstein, which took place in the 13th century under the leadership of Emperor Rudolf von Habsburg. They were accused of numerous robberies and murders, and then beheaded in front of the chapel of St. Clemens, which is one of the oldest churches located on the banks of the Rhine.

In the 19th century, the castle was acquired by the Prussian prince Friedrich Wilhelm and began to actively restore it. Now the castle is visited by tourists. Near it are held annual festivals and concerts. The most exciting event is the Fires of the Rhine festival, when spectacular fireworks are arranged on the ferry near the castle.

Castle Museum Ronneburg

Ronneburg is one of the largest castles in Hesse. It stands, towering above the surroundings, on a basalt ledge of the southern slope of a hill not far from Hanau, and its walls and towers are clearly visible from afar to all approaching.

It is documented that the castle existed on this site before 1231, but the buildings that we see today belong to the 16th century. The fortifications are perfectly preserved, they give a complete picture of the structure of the medieval settlement. Today it houses a museum where you can get acquainted with the life, customs and habits of the Middle Ages. Ancient walls, imbued with a genuine historical spirit, create an atmosphere of immersion in the past. They say that ghosts live in the castle, and when one of them was disturbed, re-equipping the interior, it rebelled and strange things began to happen in the fortress - window frames broke, howls were heard at night ...

On weekends, artisans and townspeople flock to the castle from all over the area. All of them are dressed in historical costumes, starting with shoes and ending with headdresses. You can buy knightly armor, edged weapons, homespun napkins, stylized hats from them. The fortune-teller will tell you by the hand, and buffoons and musicians will cheer you up. There is a restaurant in the castle where they cook on an open fire and offer branded meat dishes. Recently, the castle has become popular among honeymooners as a venue for themed weddings.

Castle Kronberg

Kronberg Castle, located in the German city of Kronberg, was built in the Renaissance style in 1889-1894 by order of the Queen Dowager of Prussia, Victoria of Great Britain. In 1901, after her death, the castle was inherited by her youngest daughter, Princess Margaret, who married a member of the Hesse family.

After World War II, the castle was used as a club for American officers. The manager of this club, Kathleen Nash, along with her future husband, discovered a cache of Queen Victoria's jewels and took them abroad. Only 10 percent of the collection was returned to the family of Princess Margaret of Hesse.

Since 1954, in a luxurious building of a two-story castle with four protruding turrets with stepped gables, high windows on the ground floor and an interesting design of the roof with attic windows, there has been a world-famous hotel. The interiors of the castle have been partially preserved; here you can see some of the original furniture, works of art from the collection of Empress Victoria and her rich library.

Ehrenfels Castle

Ehrenfels Castle was a palace complex with several outbuildings. It stretched at one time to the very banks of the Rhine, where the customs building was located.

Ehrenfels was built by the Bolandin brothers in 1215 as a customs castle. In 1270, he passed along with the right to collect customs to the archbishops of Mainz. The castle, with towers flanked by a strong defensive wall on the mountainside, is one of the most imposing architectural monuments on the Rhine. Together with the "Mouse Tower" and Klopp Castle, he guaranteed reliable protection of the Mainz possessions from attacks from the north. Archbishops fortified the strategically important castle many times. AT war time here also were on saving treasures from cathedral Mainz.

Castle Frankenstein

The name Frankenstein is an integral part of popular culture these days. The monstrous monster, invented by Mary Shelley, has become a popular hero in numerous horror films. Few people know that Frankenstein is the real name of an old family of German barons, whose castle can still be seen near the German city of Darmstadt.

The first mention of Frankenstein Castle, associated with the name of its first owner, Lord Conrad II, dates back to 1252. Perched on a hill, the castle became the center of the principality of Frankenstein and was rebuilt several times during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. In 1662, the castle was sold, for some time it housed a hospital and a prison, but, in the end, it was abandoned and today lies in ruins.

One of the most interesting owners of the castle was the alchemist Johann Konrad Dippel. Even during the life of Dippel, his name was overgrown with rumors and legends. It is said that during unsuccessful experiments with nitroglycerin, the alchemist set off an explosion that destroyed one of the towers of the castle. Once Johann Konrad was accused of stealing corpses from the local cemetery. Apparently, he studied anatomy, and there was no other way to get material for research at that time.

It is not known for certain whether the story of Dippel inspired Mary Shelley, who was resting in 1814 near Darmstadt, to write her famous novel. However, Frankenstein's name is widely used to attract tourists to the castle, so every autumn a costume festival is held here for the Halloween holiday.

Vorderburg Castle

Vorderburg is a majestic medieval fortress with a powerful defensive tower and a three-story palace, which has come down to us in excellent condition and original form. It was founded in the 12th century by representatives of the noble Steinach family, after whom, in fact, it was named. ancient city Neckarsteinach, where Vorderburg is located.

Fortress Vorderburg is one of 4 medieval castles in the city. By the way, translated from German language"Vorderburg" means "Forward Castle". The other three castles are called: Mittelburg (" Middle castle"), Hinterburg ("Rear" or "Last Castle") and Schwalbennest (" the swallow nest"), which fully corresponds to their location today.

Today, Vorderburg Castle is a private property of the descendants of the Warsberg-Dort family, whose representatives received it in the 19th century. The fortress is surrounded by a picturesque park and is suitable for living, so it is rented out.

Castle Burg Dehrn

Castle Burg Dehrn is located in Hesse, on a mountain range above the river Lahn. The most interesting part of the castle is its Round Tower, the height of which reaches 34 meters, and the thickness of the walls is about 3 meters. The top of the tower is crowned with octagonal battlements. To the south of the tower is a residential building.

The castle was built in the 12th century, and changes were made to it later, in the 16th century - the dilapidated palace was partially restored and expanded, and a beautiful park was created next to it. Later, access roads were also restored and new outbuildings were created. After all the reconstructions and additions, the castle got its current look.

Near the castle there is a wonderful park with two bridges and a chapel. Only the foundation has been preserved from the chapel. Every year this place attracts many tourists from all over the world.

Boosenburg Castle

Boosenburg Castle - historical place in Hesse. The castle has undergone a long-term restoration and re-opened its doors to visitors in April 2003. Along with the opening of the castle, a family hotel for 350 people, which has the same name, also celebrated its opening. A distinctive feature of the building is a high square tower, which contrasts with the general appearance of the castle.

In the historical premises of the castle, exhibitions are regularly held, as well as marriage ceremonies, the great holidays of Christmas and New Year are celebrated. By visiting the castle, you will be able to appreciate how extensive the restoration work was. You can come here on the weekend or holidays. Staying at the hotel, you will have the opportunity to explore the entire castle and its surroundings. The castle also has a wonderful restaurant with a terrace.

Why is Levenburg Castle in Kassel famous? How to get to Levenburg, what to see and why today it is called "pseudo-medieval".

The Bavarian Alps are famous for their alpine castle Levenburg, located near the city of Kassel. It was built for the romantic rendezvous of Wilhelm IX and his mistress K. von Schlotheim. His appearance reflects the way of life of the count, who was a supporter of chivalric traditions and strictly adhered to them in his life. The castle was used exclusively for meetings of lovers, who had ten children over the years. In a legal marriage, Wilhelm had five children.

Many travelers and local population Bavaria believes that the architecture of Levenburg Castle belongs to the Middle Ages, but in fact it was built at the end of the 18th century.

Löwenburg - Lion's Castle

Fake ruins of Lion's castle

The construction was led by Heinrich K. Yussov, who built similar castles in England, Italy, and France. Wilhelm IX set the task for the architect to create a castle, not a palace.

Castle architecture at the end of the 18th century. in Germany it was no longer popular for almost a hundred years. Levenburg was under construction for eight years, from 1793 to 1801, and was very similar to the English castles of the 11th-13th centuries, which the architect studied in Great Britain. The exterior architecture has Neo-Gothic features, which gives it a unique charm.

Now Levenburg is a castle complex, which includes a garden, a pseudo-medieval castle, the ruins of an aqueduct from the era of Rome, english castle, ruins of ancient Greek temples and a traditional Chinese village.

The castle is an artificial ruin, although it was planned as a classic medieval tower. Near the castle there is a room with weapons, where weapons and armor of warriors of the 15th-16th centuries are stored, and a chapel with an underground crypt-grave of Wilhelm IX.

The castle looks quite authentic

In addition, the castle is a pseudo-fortress on the mountain. The castle retained this appearance until 1945, when during the Allied air raids on Kassel it was badly damaged. Only the remains of the wall and the tower remained from the castle.

Levenburg Castle today

Restoration work began to be carried out almost after the end of the war, which led to a change in the architecture and appearance of the castle. Although the restorers are trying to give the castle a fabulous and romantic look, which is why the work is still far from complete.

Many travelers and the local population of Bavaria believe that the architecture of Levenburg Castle dates back to the Middle Ages, but in fact it was built at the end of the 18th century.

Now it is a castle complex, which includes a garden, a pseudo-medieval castle, the ruins of a Roman aqueduct (also artificial), an English castle, the ruins of ancient Greek temples and a traditional Chinese village.

Levenburg Castle is surrounded by a deep moat, through which a drawbridge leads to the castle. This is the only way to get into the courtyard and, accordingly, into the castle itself.

Inside the castle is decorated in the Baroque style. Armor and weapons of the 16th-17th centuries are hung on the walls of the corridors and halls, many of which are still stored in the warehouse due to reconstruction. In addition, medieval furniture and ancient objects of that time are placed - an altar, glasses, bronze statues. The windows of the Levenburg Castle have stained-glass windows through which the sun's rays break through.

The town of Kassel, where the castle is located