Falkenstein Castle (Harz)
Encyclopedia
Falkenstein Castle is a German castle
in the Harz mountains dating to the High Middle Ages
period. It is located in the town of Falkenstein/Harz between Aschersleben
and Harzgerode
.
valley in the district of Harz in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt
.
According to legend, Falkenstein Castle has its origins in a murder: around 1080, Egeno II of Konradsburg
slew Count Adalbert of Ballenstedt
in a fight, whereupon the murderer was allegedly made to give his family seat up to be converted into a monastery
. As a result, Egeno's son, Burchard von Konradsburg, had the new Falkenstein Castle built.
In 1220, during the reign of Prince Henry of Anhalt
the Anhalt ministerialis
, Eike von Repgow
, from Reppichau
drew up here the Sachsenspiegel
the first German law book. The book is dedicated to its commissioner, Hoyer von Falkenstein. In 1437 the castle was given as a fief by the Bishopric of Halberstadt
to the House of Asseburg, in whose hands the castle remained until its confiscation after the Second World War.
are one of the most popular destinations in the Harz mountains. It is part of the Romanesque Road. The castle has a falconry
and a restaurant that offer traditional 'knightly' food (Ritteressen).
The castle was one of several backdrops in the seven-part children's series shot by GDR television, Spuk unterm Riesenrad, and one of the locations for the DEFA fairy tale film Schneeweißchen and Rosenrot ("Snow White and Rose Red"), as well as films in the GDR series Polizeiruf 110
The Entdeckung.
The castle is No. 200 in the network of hiking checkpoints known as the Harzer Wandernadel
.
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
in the Harz mountains dating to the High Middle Ages
High Middle Ages
The High Middle Ages was the period of European history around the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries . The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and followed by the Late Middle Ages, which by convention end around 1500....
period. It is located in the town of Falkenstein/Harz between Aschersleben
Aschersleben
Aschersleben is a town in the Salzlandkreis district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated approx. 22 km east of Quedlinburg, and 45 km northwest of Halle .-Pre-20th century:...
and Harzgerode
Harzgerode
Harzgerode is a town in the district of Harz in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.-Geography:Its localities include:*Harzgerode*Alexisbad*Dankerode*Güntersberge*Königerode*Mägdesprung*Neudorf*Schielo*Silberhütte*Siptenfelde*Straßberg...
.
Location
The castle lies high above the SelkeSelke
-People:*Frank J. Selke, Canadian hockey manager*Margrit Selke, Agriculturist*Walter Selke, German physicist-Awards:*Frank J. Selke Trophy *Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy -Other uses:...
valley in the district of Harz in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
.
History
Falkenstein was built between 1120 and 1180 and has been modified frequently since then, but still retains the character of a medieval castle. It has a commanding location and was never captured.According to legend, Falkenstein Castle has its origins in a murder: around 1080, Egeno II of Konradsburg
Egeno II of Konradsburg
Egeno II of Konradsburg was a free knight of Konradsburg, in the northeast of the Harz region in Central Germany, near Ermsleben....
slew Count Adalbert of Ballenstedt
Adalbert II, Count of Ballenstedt
Adalbert II, Count of Ballenstedt from the House of Ascania, the 23rd Great-Grandfather of Elizabeth II, was Graf in Saxony and Vogt of Nienburg Abbey.-Biography:...
in a fight, whereupon the murderer was allegedly made to give his family seat up to be converted into a monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
. As a result, Egeno's son, Burchard von Konradsburg, had the new Falkenstein Castle built.
In 1220, during the reign of Prince Henry of Anhalt
Henry I, Count of Anhalt
Henry I, Count of Anhalt was a German prince of the House of Ascania and Count of Anhalt.He was the oldest son of Bernhard III, Duke of Saxony and Count of Anhalt, by his wife Brigitte a daughter of Canute V of Denmark....
the Anhalt ministerialis
Ministerialis
Ministerialis ; a post-classical Latin word, used in English, meaning originally servitor, agent, in a broad range of senses...
, Eike von Repgow
Eike von Repgow
Eike von Repgow from Repgow, now Reppichau in Saxony-Anhalt), was a medieval German administrator who compiled the Sachsenspiegel in the Thirteenth Century.-The Sachsenspiegel:...
, from Reppichau
Reppichau
Reppichau is a village and a former municipality in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the municipality Osternienburger Land. It is the birthplace of Eike von Repgow....
drew up here the Sachsenspiegel
Sachsenspiegel
The Sachsenspiegel is the most important law book and legal code of the German Middle Ages. Written ca...
the first German law book. The book is dedicated to its commissioner, Hoyer von Falkenstein. In 1437 the castle was given as a fief by the Bishopric of Halberstadt
Bishopric of Halberstadt
The Bishopric of Halberstadt was a Roman Catholic diocese from 804 until 1648 and an ecclesiastical state of the Holy Roman Empire from the late Middle Ages...
to the House of Asseburg, in whose hands the castle remained until its confiscation after the Second World War.
Present use
Today the castle and its museumMuseum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
are one of the most popular destinations in the Harz mountains. It is part of the Romanesque Road. The castle has a falconry
Falconry
Falconry is "the taking of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of a trained raptor". There are two traditional terms used to describe a person involved in falconry: a falconer flies a falcon; an austringer flies a hawk or an eagle...
and a restaurant that offer traditional 'knightly' food (Ritteressen).
The castle was one of several backdrops in the seven-part children's series shot by GDR television, Spuk unterm Riesenrad, and one of the locations for the DEFA fairy tale film Schneeweißchen and Rosenrot ("Snow White and Rose Red"), as well as films in the GDR series Polizeiruf 110
Polizeiruf 110
Polizeiruf 110 is a long running German language detective television series. The first episode was broadcast 27 June 1971 in the German Democratic Republic , and after the dissolution of Fernsehen der DDR the series was picked up by ARD...
The Entdeckung.
The castle is No. 200 in the network of hiking checkpoints known as the Harzer Wandernadel
Harzer Wandernadel
The Harzer Wandernadel is a network of checkpoints for walkers in the Harz mountains in North Germany. It includes a system whereby the hiker can earn badges at different levels by walking to the various checkpoints in the network and recording them...
.
Sources
- Berent SchwineköperBerent SchwineköperBerent Schwineköper was a German archivist and historian.Born in Magdeburg, Prussian Saxony, Schwineköper was the son of an apothecary. At the universities of Göttingen, Vienna, and Freiburg, Schwineköper studied history, German studies, art history, and historical auxiliary sciences...
(Hrsg.): Provinz Saxony Anhalt. In: Handbuch der Historischen Stätten Deutschlands. Band 11. Alfred Kröner Verlag, Stuttgart 1987, p. 117–118, ISBN 3520314029
External links
- Falkenstein Castle
- Old Falkenstein
- Reconstruction sketch by Wolfgang Braun
- 3D model of Falkenstein Castle