Ehrenbreitstein Fortress facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ehrenbreitstein Fortress |
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Festung Ehrenbreitstein
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Aerial view
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| General information | |
| Type | Fortress |
| Town or city | Koblenz |
| Country | Germany |
| Coordinates | 50°21′54″N 7°36′54″E / 50.365°N 7.615°E |
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| Part of | Upper Middle Rhine Valley |
| Criteria | Cultural: (ii)(iv)(v) |
| Inscription | 2002 (26th Session) |
The Ehrenbreitstein Fortress (which in German is called Festung Ehrenbreitstein) is a huge fortress in Germany. It is located in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. You can find it on the east bank of the Rhine River. It sits where the Rhine and Moselle rivers meet, looking over the city of Koblenz.
This fortress was built by Prussia between 1817 and 1828. It replaced an older fortress that the French had destroyed in 1801. Ehrenbreitstein was a very important part of a bigger defense system called Festung Koblenz. Its job was to protect the middle Rhine area. This region had been invaded by French troops many times before. Even though it was built for defense, the Prussian fortress was never actually attacked.
Since 2002, Ehrenbreitstein has been part of a special place. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This site is known as the Upper Middle Rhine Valley.
Contents
Where is Ehrenbreitstein Fortress?
Ehrenbreitstein Fortress is on the eastern side of the Rhine River. It is near the city of Koblenz in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. From the fortress, you can see where the Mosel River joins the Rhine. The top of the hill where the fortress stands is 118 meters (about 387 feet) above the Rhine. This fortress is the most northern point of the UNESCO World Heritage Site called the Upper Middle Rhine Valley.
History of the Fortress
Older Buildings on the Hill
The hill where Ehrenbreitstein Fortress is today has a very long history. People first lived there about 6,000 years ago! Fortifications, which are like early forts, were built there around 900 BC. Later, from the 200s to 400s AD, the Romans had a fort on the hill. More settlements appeared in the 700s and 800s under the Carolingian dynasty.
Around the year 1000, a nobleman named Ehrenbert built a castle on the hill. It was first called "Burg Ehrenbertstein." This name later became Burg Ehrenbreitstein, which means Ehrenbreitstein Castle.
The castle was first written about in a document in 1139. It belonged to the Archbishop of Trier. Archbishop Hillin made the castle bigger between 1152 and 1169. Another supporting castle was built nearby. Later, other Archbishops like Henry of Fénétrange and John II of Baden also added to it.
In the 1500s, people started changing the castle into a fortress. This was so it could stand strong against new weapons like cannons. One famous cannon was the 9-ton Greif cannon. A palace called Phillipsburg was built at the foot of the hill between 1625 and 1629. The fortress was made even stronger by later Archbishops. During the Thirty Years' War, the French took it in 1632, and then Imperial troops took it in 1637.
Ehrenbreitstein Fortress was also used to protect a very important religious item. This was the Holy Tunic, which was kept there from 1657 to 1794. The Archbishops used the fortress's important location to make deals with powerful groups. For example, in 1672, the Archbishop did not let French or Brandenburg troops cross the Rhine.
In 1688, the fortress successfully defended itself against a siege by King Louis XIV of France. Around 1730, more defenses were added, making it even stronger. France did manage to capture it in 1759, but they only held it for three years.
However, in 1794, French revolutionary soldiers took Koblenz. They tried to capture Ehrenbreitstein three times but failed. But a long siege, lasting a year from 1798, caused the defenders to run out of food. They finally gave the fortress to French troops in 1799. Later, the French had to leave the right bank of the Rhine. So, they blew up Ehrenbreitstein in 1801. They did this to stop their enemies from using such a strong fortress so close to French land.
From 1803 to 1815, the area was part of Nassau.
The Fortress We See Today
In 1815, after a big meeting called the Congress of Vienna, the Rhineland became part of Prussia. Prussia decided it was very important to build strong defenses around Koblenz. This was because it was close to France and was a key crossing point for travel. So, the Prussians built a huge system of forts around Koblenz. This was called Festung Koblenz (Fortress Koblenz). Ehrenbreitstein Fortress was a main part of this system. People said Fortress Koblenz was the biggest military fortress in Europe, except for Gibraltar. Ehrenbreitstein itself could be defended by up to 1,200 soldiers.
France paid 15 million francs to help build the new fortress. The actual building work took place from 1817 to 1828. It was ready for use by 1834. It was made bigger several times. By 1886, Koblenz was seen as a less important fortification. After some forts west of the Rhine were taken down, Ehrenbreitstein and other smaller buildings on the east bank protected the Rhine crossing until 1918.
During its time as an active military base, the fortress was never attacked. It was saved from being taken apart after World War I. This was because people saw its historical and artistic value. The American General Henry Tureman Allen stopped it from being destroyed in 1922. After 1919, the US Army used it as their headquarters during the Occupation of the Rhineland. In 1923, General Allen left, and the first U.S. occupation of European land ended. After January 1923, the French Army occupied Ehrenbreitstein.
During World War II, the fortress was used to keep important papers and cultural items safe. It also had three flak (anti-aircraft) guns from 1943 to 1945.
After World War II, the French Army used the fortress again. Then, in 1947, it was given to the State of Rhineland-Palatinate. From 1946 to 1950, it was a camp for people who had lost their homes. Then it was used for housing during a time when there weren't enough homes. In 1952, a youth hostel opened there. A museum followed in 1956. In 1972, a memorial for German soldiers was opened. In 2011, Festung Ehrenbreitstein was part of a big garden show in Koblenz. This happened after the fortress was restored between 2007 and 2011.
Ehrenbreitstein Fortress Today
Today, the fortress is open for visitors to explore. You can get to it from Koblenz by a cable car that goes over the Rhine River. There is also an inclined lift that takes you to the bottom of the hill. Ehrenbreitstein has several museums inside. These include the Haus der Fotografie (House of Photography) and the Haus der Archäologie (House of Archaeology). There is also the Landesmuseum Koblenz, which has changing exhibitions.
You can also find the Haus des Genusses, which celebrates local wine. It offers a special dining experience. Permanent exhibitions throughout the fortress tell the story of Ehrenbreitstein's 5,000-year history. There are also places to eat. The Koblenz youth hostel, with 157 beds, is still part of Ehrenbreitstein. The fortress is also a popular place for different cultural events. These include outdoor concerts and plays.
World Heritage Site
In 2002, the Upper Middle Rhine Valley was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This means it is a place of special cultural or natural importance. Ehrenbreitstein Fortress is the most northern point of this important site.
See also
- List of forts
- Prussian semaphore system
