Wartburg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wartburg Castle |
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Wartburg
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Wartburg in Eisenach
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| Former names | Wartberg |
| General information | |
| Type | Castle |
| Town or city | Eisenach |
| Country | Germany |
| Coordinates | 50°57′58″N 10°18′23″E / 50.96611°N 10.30639°E |
| Construction started | c. 1067 |
| Renovated | 19th and 20th centuries |
| Landlord | Wartburg Stiftung |
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| Criteria | Cultural: iii, vi |
| Inscription | 1999 (23rd Session) |
The Wartburg is an old castle built in the Middle Ages. It stands on a tall cliff, about 410 meters high. The castle is southwest of the town of Eisenach in Thuringia, Germany.
Many important things happened here. It was the home of St. Elisabeth of Hungary. Martin Luther translated the New Testament into German here. The Wartburg festival of 1817 also took place at the castle. It is also thought to be the place of the legendary Sängerkrieg (Minstrels' Contest). The castle even inspired King Ludwig II to build Neuschwanstein Castle.
Wartburg is a very popular place for tourists in Thuringia. Many parts of the castle are still original from the 12th to 15th centuries. However, much of the inside was rebuilt in the 1800s. In 1999, UNESCO added Wartburg Castle to its World Heritage List. This was because of its amazing medieval design and its important history.
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What's in a Name?
The name of the castle, Wartburg, probably comes from the German word Warte. This word means "watchtower."
There's a story that the castle's founder, when he first saw the spot, said: "Wait, mountain—you shall bear my castle!" This is a clever play on words. Berg means mountain, and Burg means fortress. Warte also sounds like "wait."
Where is Wartburg Castle?
Wartburg Castle is on a 410-meter-high cliff. It is southwest of the town of Eisenach, in Thuringia, Germany. The hill is part of the Thuringian Forest. It looks over the Mariental valley to the southeast. It also overlooks the Hörsel valley to the north. An old trade route called the Via Regia passed through this valley. The Rennsteig hiking trail is also not far from the castle.
Castle History
The castle was started around 1067. It was built by Louis the Springer, a count from Thuringia. He was related to the Counts of Rieneck. Wartburg Castle helped protect the edges of his lands.
There's a story that Louis the Springer had clay brought from his own land to the top of the hill. This was because the hill wasn't quite on his land. He wanted to be able to say the castle was built on his own soil.
The castle was first written about in 1080. It was called Wartberg in a document by Bruno, Bishop of Merseburg.
Louis the Springer was a strong opponent of the Salian rulers. Later, his son Louis I became a Landgrave (a type of count) in Thuringia in 1131.
From 1172 to 1211, Wartburg was a very important court for princes in Germany. A ruler named Hermann I supported poets. Famous poets like Walther von der Vogelweide and Wolfram von Eschenbach visited. Wolfram von Eschenbach even wrote part of his famous story Parzival here in 1203.
The castle became the setting for the famous Sängerkrieg, or Minstrels' Contest. Poets like Walther von der Vogelweide supposedly took part in 1206 or 1207. This legend was later used by Richard Wagner in his opera Tannhäuser.
At age four, St. Elisabeth of Hungary came to Wartburg. She was raised there to marry Landgrave Ludwig IV of Thuringia. From 1211 to 1228, she lived in the castle. She was known for her kindness and helping others. Elisabeth married Ludwig in 1221. After Ludwig died in 1227, she moved to Marburg. Elisabeth died in 1231 at only 24 years old. She became a saint of the Roman Catholic Church just five years later.
In 1247, Heinrich Raspe died at Wartburg. He was the last landgrave of his family line.
Around 1320, the castle was rebuilt a lot. This happened after lightning caused a fire in 1317 or 1318. A chapel was added to the main building, called the Palas.
Wartburg remained the home of the Thuringian landgraves until 1440.
From May 1521 to March 1522, Martin Luther lived at the castle. He used the name Junker Jörg (Knight George). He was taken there for his safety by Frederick the Wise. This happened after the Pope removed him from the church. While there, Luther translated the New Testament from ancient Greek into German. He did this in just ten weeks! Luther's translation quickly became very popular.
From 1540 to 1548, a farmer named Fritz Erbe was held prisoner. He was kept in the dungeon of the south tower. He was imprisoned because he refused to change his religious beliefs. After he died, he was buried near the castle chapel. In 1925, his handwritten signature was found on the prison wall.
Over the next few centuries, the castle was used less and less. It also started to fall apart. This was especially true after the Thirty Years' War.
In 1777, the famous writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe stayed at Wartburg. He spent five weeks there and drew many pictures of the buildings.
On October 18, 1817, the first Wartburg festival took place. About 500 students gathered at the castle. They were celebrating Germany's victory over Napoleon four years earlier. They also celebrated 300 years since the Reformation began. The students called for Germany to be united. They used the motto "Honour - Freedom - Fatherland."
During the festival, some books were symbolically "burned." Instead of real books, scraps of paper with the titles of conservative books were placed on a bonfire. This event and another gathering in 1848 helped push for German unification.
Later, Grand Duke Karl Alexander ordered the castle to be rebuilt. This started in 1838. The main architect was Hugo von Ritgen. The work was finished in 1890, a year after Ritgen died.
Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna and her son Karl Alexander started an art collection. This collection became the beginning of today's museum at the castle.
The rule of the House of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach ended in 1918. In 1922, the Wartburg Stiftung (Wartburg Foundation) was created. Its job is to take care of the castle.
After World War II, Soviet forces took a famous collection of weapons and armor. No one knows where they are now. The Rüstkammer (armory) used to have about 800 pieces. These included armor from kings and popes. Most of these items were taken in 1946 and disappeared. A few pieces were found later or returned by the USSR. The Russian Government has been asked to help find the missing treasures.
During communist rule in East Germany (GDR), the castle was rebuilt again. This happened from 1952 to 1954. Many parts of the main building, the Palas, were restored to their original Romanesque style.
In 1967, the castle hosted big celebrations. These marked 900 years since the castle was founded. They also celebrated 450 years since Luther's Reformation began.
In 1983, the castle was central to celebrations for Martin Luther's 500th birthday.
Castle Buildings
The Palas
The Palas is the biggest building at Wartburg. It was built in the late Romanesque style between 1157 and 1170. It is thought to be the best-preserved Romanesque building of its kind north of the Alps.
The Palas has rooms like the Rittersaal (Knights' Hall) and the Speisesaal (Dining Hall). These rooms have been rebuilt to look like the original Romanesque style. They still have original parts like pillars or roof pieces.
However, many rooms show the style of the 1800s and 1900s. For example, the Elisabeth-Kemenate has mosaics. These show the life of St. Elisabeth. They were made between 1902 and 1906. The Sängersaal (Singers' Hall) has paintings by Moritz von Schwind. These show the Sängerkrieg legend. The Festssaal (Festival Hall) also has paintings by Schwind. This hall inspired the Sängerhalle at Neuschwanstein Castle. The Wartburg's Sängersaal is where Act II of the opera Tannhäuser takes place. None of the wall paintings in the castle are from the Middle Ages. They were all created in the 1800s.
Other Castle Buildings
The drawbridge and the barbican (a strong gatehouse) are the only ways into the castle. They have mostly stayed the same since medieval times.
The Vorburg is the area right inside the first gate. It was built in the 1300s or 1400s. It has several buildings made of wood and plaster. These include the Elisabethengang (a covered walkway) and the Vogtei (Bailiff's lodge).
The Lutherstube is in the Vogtei. This is where Martin Luther stayed when he was at the castle. It has paintings by Lucas Cranach.
The Bergfried (main tower) was finished in 1859. It stands on the old foundations of a medieval tower. It has a three-meter-tall cross on top.
The Neue Kemenate (New Bower), built from 1853 to 1860, shows the castle's art treasures. These include paintings by Lucas Cranach the Elder. There are also sculptures from the workshop of Tilman Riemenschneider.
The Romanesque Südturm or South Tower was built in 1318. It is one of the oldest parts of the castle, along with the Palas. There is a dungeon below it.
In 1999, UNESCO added Wartburg Castle to the World Heritage List. They called it an "Outstanding Monument of the Feudal Period in Central Europe." They noted its "Cultural Values of Universal Significance."
For a while, the castle's World Heritage status was at risk. This was because there were plans to build very tall wind turbines nearby. However, in 2013, the company agreed not to build them. Now, new rules prevent such structures from being built where they can be seen from Wartburg.
Wartburg Today
Wartburg is a popular place to visit. It is the most visited site in Thuringia after Weimar. Visitors can explore the castle and take guided tours. There is also a museum inside. Kids can even ride donkeys up the hill to the castle.
The Festsaal (Festival Hall) is often used for performances of the opera Tannhäuser. It also hosts concerts and other events. There is a hotel right next to the castle. It was built when the castle was rebuilt in the 1800s.
Bill Clinton, who was the 42nd president of the United States, visited Wartburg Castle. He came on May 14, 1998, during his visit to Germany.
Wartburg's Influence
For many years, Wartburg has been an important place for people to visit. It is significant in German history and the history of Christianity.
Several places, especially towns in the US founded by Lutherans, are named after Wartburg. A local car brand was also named Wartburg. Wartburg College in Iowa, USA, is named after the castle. This is because Martin Luther found safety there. Wartburg Theological Seminary, also in Iowa, is named after the castle too.
The Wartburgkreis (Wartburg District) is named after the castle. However, Wartburg Castle itself is not inside this district.
Image gallery
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Wartburg around 1890–1900, seen from the south-west
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The South Tower
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View of the courtyard from the South Tower
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Main gate seen from the first courtyard
See also
In Spanish: Castillo de Wartburg para niños
