Kyffhausen Castle facts for kids
The Imperial Castle of Kyffhausen (German: Reichsburg Kyffhausen) is an old medieval castle that is now in ruins. It sits in the Kyffhäuser hills in the German state of Thuringia. This area is very close to the border with Saxony-Anhalt.
The castle was likely built around the year 1000. It became more important than the nearby imperial palace of Tilleda. This happened when the Hohenstaufen emperors ruled in the 12th and 13th centuries. Today, the castle ruins are a popular place to visit. Many people also come to see the Kyffhäuser Monument, which was built on the castle grounds between 1890 and 1896.
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Where is Kyffhausen Castle?
The old ruins of the Imperial Castle of Kyffhausen are on a hill. This hill is called the Kyffhäuserburgberg. It is about 440 meters (1,440 feet) high. The castle sits on a long ridge that stretches about 800 meters (2,600 feet) to the east.
The castle is part of the village of Steinthaleben. This is about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) northeast of the village of Rathsfeld. It is in the Kyffhäuserland area of Thuringia. The town of Bad Frankenhausen is also nearby.
To the north of the castle is a flat area called the Goldene Aue. This means "Golden Water Meadows." It includes villages like Sittendorf and Tilleda, which are about 280 meters (920 feet) below the castle. These villages are part of Kelbra in Saxony-Anhalt. The castle grounds are also inside the Kyffhäuser Nature Park.
History of the Castle
People lived on the Kyffhäuser hill a very long time ago. Tools from the Stone Age have been found here. Also, pottery from the Bronze Age shows that people lived here even before the castle was built.
Early Beginnings
The first castle was probably built high above the Tilleda imperial palace. This was likely done by Emperor Henry IV of the Salian dynasty. He wanted to protect his royal lands south of the Harz mountains.
The castle was first mentioned in records in 1118. At that time, it was destroyed by Lothair of Supplinburg. He was a Saxon duke whose forces had beaten Emperor Henry V in a battle in 1115.
The Hohenstaufen Emperors
The castle was rebuilt soon after its destruction. This work was finished when Frederick Barbarossa was emperor. He was a powerful ruler from the Hohenstaufen family. He often stayed at Tilleda, which was downhill from the castle.
The rebuilt castle was made of bright red sandstone. It spread out over a large part of the Kyffhäuserberg ridge. The Hohenstaufen emperors used the castle to show their power in the region. It was managed by their special officials called ministeriales.
Decline and Ruin
After the Hohenstaufen family lost power, the castle became less important. Rudolf of Habsburg became King of the Romans in 1273. He gave the castle to the Counts of Beichlingen.
Later, in 1375, these counts held the castle as vassals. This means they were like tenants who paid loyalty to the Wettin landgraves of Thuringia. The castle was then given as a pledge to the House of Schwarzburg. By 1407, it was taken over by the Counts of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. By the 15th century, the fortress was already known as a ruin.
The Legend of Barbarossa
In the late 1700s and especially during the Romantic era, the castle ruins became very popular. Writers like Johann Wolfgang von Goethe visited the Kyffhäuser hills.
A famous legend grew around the castle. It said that Emperor Frederick Barbarossa was asleep inside the mountain. He would wake up when Germany needed him most. This legend was made popular by a poem from Friedrich Rückert in 1817. It became a symbol of growing German nationalism.
This idea led to many student groups called Burschenschaft fraternities meeting there. Finally, the Kyffhäuser Monument was built from 1890 onwards. In 1900, a group of veterans and reservists called the Kyffhäuserbund took its name from this historic site.