Schloss Lenzburg
Encyclopedia
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...
located above the old part of the town of Lenzburg
Lenzburg
Lenzburg is a town in the central region of the Swiss canton Aargau and is the capital of the district of the same name. The town, founded in the Middle Ages, lies in the Seetal valley, about 3 kilometres south of the Aare river. Lenzburg and the neighbouring municipalities of Niederlenz and...
in the Canton of Aargau, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. It ranks among the oldest and most important of Switzerland. The castle stands on the almost circular castle hill (altitude: 504 m), which rises approximately 100 m over the surrounding plain but is only about 250 m in diameter. The oldest parts of the castle date to the 11th century, when the Counts of Lenzburg built it as their seat. The castle, its historical museum and the castle hill with its Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
burial grounds are listed as heritage sites of national significance
Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance
The Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance is a register of some 8,300 items of cultural property in Switzerland...
.
History
The prominent hill was already a settlement site in prehistoric times. For example, in 1959 a NeolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
gravesite was uncovered in the carpark. There have also been small discoveries from the Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
and Alemannic eras.
A legend tells that there was once a dragon living in a cave in the hillside, who was defeated by two knights, Wolfram and Guntram. The grateful people made the two Counts of Lenzburg and gave them permission to build a castle on the hilltop.
Seat of nobility
A charter dated 1036 names one Ulrich, Count of Aargau. He was the EmperorHoly Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
's Vogt
Vogt
A Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
in Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
and overseer of the abbeys of Beromünster
Beromünster
Beromünster is a municipality in the district of Sursee in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland. On 1 January 2009 Gunzwil became part of Beromünster.-History:...
and Schänis
Schänis Abbey
Schänis Abbey was founded in the 9th century. It was situated in the present town of Schänis in the canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland. It was a house of secular canonesses of the nobility and was dissolved in 1811.- History :...
. The first definite record of the existence of a castle dates to 1077: Ulrich's grandson, also Ulrich, had taken the emperor's position in the Investiture Controversy
Investiture Controversy
The Investiture Controversy or Investiture Contest was the most significant conflict between Church and state in medieval Europe. In the 11th and 12th centuries, a series of Popes challenged the authority of European monarchies over control of appointments, or investitures, of church officials such...
and imprisoned two Papal legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
s for half a year. At that time the Counts of Lenzburg were among the most important feudal lords on the Swiss plateau
Swiss plateau
The Swiss Plateau or Central Plateau constitutes one of the three major landscapes in Switzerland alongside the Jura mountains and the Swiss Alps. It covers about 30% of the Swiss surface...
and maintained close connections to the emperor.
The line died out in 1173. Ulrich IV, the last Count of Lenzburg, named Emperor Friedrich I Barbarossa as his personal heir in his will; they had been on the Second Crusade
Second Crusade
The Second Crusade was the second major crusade launched from Europe. The Second Crusade was started in response to the fall of the County of Edessa the previous year to the forces of Zengi. The county had been founded during the First Crusade by Baldwin of Boulogne in 1098...
together. The emperor came to Lenzburg Castle and personally supervised the division of the estate, giving a majority of the lands to his son, the Count palatine
Count palatine
Count palatine is a high noble title, used to render several comital styles, in some cases also shortened to Palatine, which can have other meanings as well.-Comes palatinus:...
Otto of Burgundy
Otto I, Count of Burgundy
Otto I was Count of Burgundy from 1190 to his death and briefly Count of Luxembourg from 1196 to 1197...
. However, after Otto's death in 1200, the House of Hohenstaufen was forced to withdraw from the Aargau. By way of two neighbouring aristocratic houses (Andechs-Merania and Châlon
House of Châlon
-Notable members:*Claudia of Châlon*Philibert of Châlon, Claudia's brother*René of Châlon , also known as Renatus of Châlon, Prince of Orange and stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht and Gelre....
), in about 1230 Lenzburg castle came by marriage into the possession of the Counts of Kyburg. They then founded a fortified market settlement at the western base of the castle hill, today's town of Lenzburg.
Hartmann, the last Count of Kyburg, died in 1264 without male issue. Rudolph I
Rudolph I of Germany
Rudolph I was King of the Romans from 1273 until his death. He played a vital role in raising the Habsburg dynasty to a leading position among the Imperial feudal dynasties...
, Count of Habsburg and later King of the Romans
King of the Romans
King of the Romans was the title used by the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire following his election to the office by the princes of the Kingdom of Germany...
, placed the heir, Anna of Kyburg, under his protection and she later married Eberhard I of Habsburg-Laufenburg. In 1273 Rudolph took possession of the estate from his impoverished relatives and in 1275 held court there. However, the castle then declined into a regional seat of government, as the power of the Habsburgs shifted more and more to Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. On 20 August 1306, Lenzburg received its charter as a town
Town privileges
Town privileges or city rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium.Judicially, a town was distinguished from the surrounding land by means of a charter from the ruling monarch that defined its privileges and laws. Common privileges were related to trading...
from Count Frederick the Fair. From 1339 on, Count Frederick II of Tyrol-Austria resided at the castle. He was to have married a daughter of King Edward III of England
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
and had the Knights' Hall built for the purpose, but died in 1344 without ever seeing his bride, and the building remained incomplete. After 1369, the Schultheiss-Ribi family were tenants of the castle. In 1375 the castle underwent a siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
by the Gugler
Gugler
The Gugler were a body of mostly English and French knights who as mercenaries invaded Alsace and the Swiss plateau under the leadership of Enguerrand VII de Coucy during the Gugler War of 1375.-Origin of the term:...
.
Bernese rule
The latent tensions between SigismundSigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...
, King of Germany and Frederick IV
Frederick IV, Duke of Austria
Frederick IV, Duke of Further Austria , also known as Frederick of the Empty Pockets, was the Habsburg duke of Further Austria from 1402, and Count of Tyrol from 1406, until his death...
, Duke of Austria exploded in 1415 at the Council of Constance
Council of Constance
The Council of Constance is the 15th ecumenical council recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, held from 1414 to 1418. The council ended the Three-Popes Controversy, by deposing or accepting the resignation of the remaining Papal claimants and electing Pope Martin V.The Council also condemned and...
, when Frederick assisted one of the three then reigning popes, Antipope John XXIII
Antipope John XXIII
Baldassarre Cossa was Pope John XXIII during the Western Schism. The Catholic Church regards him as an antipope.-Biography:...
, in escaping from the town. Sigismund took the opportunity to harm his opponent, ordering his neighbours to seize his lands in the name of the Empire. Bern willingly conquered the western part of the Aargau.
The town of Lenzburg immediately surrendered to the advancing army on 20 April, but the castle for the moment remained untouched by the conflict. Konrad of Weinsberg, the king's representative, attempted to secure it for the Empire and had it prepared for a siege. But by August he saw the futility of this plan and in 1418 returned the castle to the control of the Schultheiss family. After lengthy negotiations, Bern was able to secure control of the County of Lenzburg as subtenants in 1433 and finally in 1442 of the castle.
The first Bernese Landvogt took up residence in the castle in 1444, governing the district of Lenzburg from there. The duties of a Landvogt included collecting taxes, implementing administrative measures, judicial and police tasks and the power of military decree; in addition, they were also responsible for the upkeep of the castle. The Landvogt was elected from the ranks of the city council of Bern for 4-year terms. The best known Landvogt of Lenzburg was Adrian I of Bubenberg
Adrian von Bubenberg
Adrian von Bubenberg was a Bernese knight, general and mayor of Bern in 1468-1469, 1473-1474 and 1477-1479. In Switzerland, he is remembered as the hero of the Battle of Murten....
, from 1457 to 1461, later Schultheiß
Schultheiß
In medieval Germany, the Schultheiß was the head of a municipality , a Vogt or an executive official of the ruler.As official it was...
of Bern and hero of the Battle of Morat
Battle of Morat
The Battle of Morat was a battle in the Burgundian Wars fought June 22, 1476 between Charles I, Duke of Burgundy and a Swiss army at Morat, about 30 kilometres from Bern.-Background:...
.
In 1509–10, extensive work was carried out at the castle, including partial demolition and rebuilding of the unfinished Knights' Hall. In 1518 there was a serious fire; which buildings were destroyed is not recorded (most likely the Arburghaus on the north side). In 1520 the Landvogt received a new residence, the Landvogtei. During the Second war of Kappel
Second war of Kappel
The second war of Kappel was an armed conflict in 1531 between the Protestant and the Catholic cantons of the Old Swiss Confederacy during the Reformation in Switzerland.-Cause:...
in 1531, the castle served as base of operations for the Protestants.
In 1624 Landvogt Joseph Plepp drew the first precise drawings and plans of the castle, which at the time had more the appearance of a fortified farmhouse. His plans formed the basis for plans to expand it into a fortress. As the first step, in 1625 a double curtain wall
Curtain wall (fortification)
A curtain wall is a defensive wall between two bastions of a castle or fortress.In earlier designs of castle the curtain walls were often built to a considerable height and were fronted by a ditch or moat to make assault difficult....
and double gatehouse were constructed in a new position in the north section and the height of the earthen embankments on the east and south sides was increased. From 1642 to 1646, a wall eleven metres high was raised to form the east bastion
Bastion
A bastion, or a bulwark, is a structure projecting outward from the main enclosure of a fortification, situated in both corners of a straight wall , facilitating active defence against assaulting troops...
. However, lack of money prevented execution of the remaining projects. Also, the east bastion had a major disadvantage: rainwater seeped through the adjacent walls and rendered the Landvogt's residence uninhabitable due to persistent damp. For this reason a new residence was constructed in the north section between 1672 and 1674.
During the 18th century, the Bernese developed the castle into a large grain
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
store. For this purpose, the individual buildings were connected and partially hollowed out. By this means storage for over 5,000 tonne
Tonne
The tonne, known as the metric ton in the US , often put pleonastically as "metric tonne" to avoid confusion with ton, is a metric system unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. The tonne is not an International System of Units unit, but is accepted for use with the SI...
s of wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
was provided.
In March 1798, Viktor von Wattenwyl, the 71st and last Landvogt, surrendered the castle to the advancing French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
troops.
Leasehold and private possession
In 1803 the Canton of Aargau was founded, and a year later the castle passed into its possession. The cantonal authorities were uncertain what use should be made of the castle and so it stood empty for almost twenty years. Using it for governmental purposes was out of the question for this symbol of the rule of the downtrodden. Finally, Christian Lippe, a teacher active in HofwilHofwil
Hofwil is a village in the canton of Berne, Switzerland, part of the municipality of Münchenbuchsee.-External links:...
, showed an interest. He rented the castle and in 1822 opened an educational institution based on the principles of Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi was a Swiss pedagogue and educational reformer who exemplified Romanticism in his approach....
. While it flourished, it had 50 students and 12 teachers, with above all sons of prominent manufacturing families in Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
and Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
receiving their education there. The Hintere Haus or rear building was used as the school building while the teachers lived in the Landvogtei. In 1853 the institution had to close because Lippe was gravely ill.
In 1860, the canton sold the castle for 60,000 franc
Swiss franc
The franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein; it is also legal tender in the Italian exclave Campione d'Italia. Although not formally legal tender in the German exclave Büsingen , it is in wide daily use there...
s to Konrad Pestalozzi-Scotchburn of Zürich. Little is known about him. In 1872, for 90,000 francs, the castle came into the possession of Friedrich Wilhelm Wedekind. He had emigrated to San Francisco after the failure of the March Revolution
Revolutions of 1848 in the German states
The Revolutions of 1848 in the German states, also called the March Revolution – part of the Revolutions of 1848 that broke out in many countries of Europe – were a series of loosely coordinated protests and rebellions in the states of the German Confederation, including the Austrian Empire...
of 1849 and there made a sizeable fortune speculating in land during the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
. Returning to Europe in 1864, in protest against Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n domination of the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
he emigrated once more, this time to Switzerland, and settled in the castle. His 6 children, among them the singer Erika Wedekind and the authors Frank Wedekind
Frank Wedekind
Benjamin Franklin Wedekind , usually known as Frank Wedekind, was a German playwright...
and Donald Wedekind, spent their childhoods there.
To make division of the inheritance possible, the Wedekind family sold the castle in 1893 for 120,000 francs to the American industrialist Augustus Edward Jessup. He was from Philadelphia, but was a long-time resident of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was married to Mildred Marion Bowes-Lyon, the aunt of the Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
, and thus allied by marriage to the British royal family. Under Jessup's leadership, the castle underwent a comprehensive renovation and by dismantling of the newer construction and military facilities was largely returned to its condition in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. In addition, he furnished the interiors with expensive furniture and installed modern facilities such as central heating, plumbing and electricity. He defrayed the half a million francs in costs from his personal fortune.
Another American industrial magnate, James Ellsworth
James Ellsworth
James Ellsworth was an American coal mine owner and banker.-Early life:...
, who collected medieval art, learnt that Lenzburg Castle contained a table from the period of Friedrich Barbarossa. Wishing to add it to his collection, he found it impossible to purchase it without also purchasing the entire castle. As a result the castle changed hands in 1911 for 550,000 francs. His son, the Polar explorer Lincoln Ellsworth
Lincoln Ellsworth
Lincoln Ellsworth was an arctic explorer from the United States.-Birth:He was born on May 12, 1880 to James Ellsworth and Eva Frances Butler in Chicago, Illinois...
, inherited the castle in 1925 but lived there only intermittently.
Recent history
After Lincoln Ellsworth's death in 1951, ownership of the castle passed to his widow Marie Louise Ellsworth-Ulmer. In 1956 she sold the castle together with its contents for 500,000 francs to a foundation set up by the town of Lenzburg and the Canton of Aargau. This made it possible to open the castle to the public. In 1960, the Stapferhaus Lenzburg cultural foundation was established and moved into the Hintere Haus. Between 1978 and 1986, the castle was once more thoroughly renovated, and a French-style garden established in the southwest section. In 1987, the canton transferred its comprehensive cultural history collections to the castle and opened the Historisches Museum Aargau (Historical Museum of the Aargau), which in 2007 became the Museum Aargau (Aargau Museum). Since 2009, the displays have been undergoing renovation in stages.Owners of Lenzburg Castle
- c. 1000 - 1173: Counts of Lenzburg
- 1173: Emperor Barbarossa
- 1173 - 1273: Counts of Kyburg
- 1273 - 1415: Dukes and kings of HabsburgHabsburgThe House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
- 1415 - 1798: City of Bern (in full possession from 1433, seat of the Landvogt from 1444)
- 1803 - 1860: Canton of Aargau (rented from 1822 to 1853 as a boarding school)
- 1860 - 1872: Konrad Pestalozzi Scotchburn
- 1872 - 1893: Dr. Friedrich Wilhelm Wedekind (father of the playwright Frank WedekindFrank WedekindBenjamin Franklin Wedekind , usually known as Frank Wedekind, was a German playwright...
) - 1893 - 1911: Augustus Edward Jessup
- 1911 - 1925: James W. Ellsworth
- 1925 - 1951: Lincoln EllsworthLincoln EllsworthLincoln Ellsworth was an arctic explorer from the United States.-Birth:He was born on May 12, 1880 to James Ellsworth and Eva Frances Butler in Chicago, Illinois...
, son of James - 1951 - 1956: Marie Luise Ellsworth-Ulmer, widow of Lincoln
- 1956–present: Canton of Aargau (through a joint foundation with the town of Lenzburg)
Castle buildings
The entrance to the castle is on the northeast side. Via either the old castle path or a stairway, one comes to the lower gatehouse, built in 1625, and then to the outer curtain wallCurtain wall (fortification)
A curtain wall is a defensive wall between two bastions of a castle or fortress.In earlier designs of castle the curtain walls were often built to a considerable height and were fronted by a ditch or moat to make assault difficult....
. Inside the middle gatehouse (which was also built in 1625 and enlarged in 1761–62), the path makes a 180° turn and leads up to the drawbridge and through the inner gatehouse into the inner bailey.
On the east side, the inner bailey is protected and has 7 buildings arranged in a horseshoe. On the southwest side, the French-style garden is enclosed within the curtain wall. While the ground is fairly level within the walls of the castle, outside it falls off rapidly. Only on the eastern side, where it is possible to cross to the Goffersberg (altitude: 507 m), is the slope less steep, forming a saddle-shaped depression.
North section
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
and the new Landvogt's residence.
The upper gatehouse, the only entrance to the inner bailey, was constructed in 1518, in part on older foundations. It is thought that this was the location of the 1330 Arburghaus which was destroyed in the fire. Above the doorway is a plaque dated 1596 combining the coats of arms of the Empire, the Canton of Bern and the von Erlach family, and naming Anthoni von Erlach as Landvogt.
To the east of the gatehouse stands the north keep, since the complete rebuilding of 1718–20 connected to the adjacent buildings. The gatehouse and dungeons were once located here. Of the original building only the west wall and parts of the foundation of the south and east walls remain.
The new Landvogt's residence was built in 1672–74 on the site of a 1625 guardhouse and laundry. The neighbouring Landvogtei at the northeast corner was at the time no longer inhabitable because of penetration of the walls by damp following the construction of the east bastion. Today the administrative centre of the Aargau Museum is located here.
Landvogt's residence
The three-storey late GothicGothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
Landvogtei with its stepped gable was built in 1520. It served as a new office and residence for the Bernese Landvögte after the destruction of the previous building dating to the 14th century in a fire in 1518. In contrast to the other buildings, the Landvogt's residence does not back directly up to the ring wall, but is separated from it by a 1 to 2-metre gap. The exception is a small round tower at the southeast corner; built in 1626, it replaced a protruding bay
Bay window
A bay window is a window space projecting outward from the main walls of a building and forming a bay in a room, either square or polygonal in plan. The angles most commonly used on the inside corners of the bay are 90, 135 and 150 degrees. Bay windows are often associated with Victorian architecture...
that served as an outhouse
Outhouse
An outhouse is a small structure separate from a main building which often contained a simple toilet and may possibly also be used for housing animals and storage.- Terminology :...
.
The pentagonal stairway tower which was attached to the façade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
in 1630 replaced a steep staircase within the building. Its original onion dome was replaced with a hip roof
Hip roof
A hip roof, or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs on the houses could have two triangular side...
in 1760. The foyer still dates back in part to around 1460. On the first upper floor a gallery, constructed in 1565, extends the length of the north side.
From 1646 until 1894, the building was uninhabitable because of encroachment of damp after the construction of the east bastion. Renovation was only possible after the removal of the embankment in 1902. The renovation included a new façade facing the inner bailey. Today the building houses part of the Aargau Museum, with a permanent exhibit on the lives of the castle owners from the late Middle Ages until the 20th century.
East bastion
The bastion on the eastern perimeter of the inner bailey was constructed in 1642–46, replacing a curtain wall with battlementsChemin de ronde
A chemin de ronde — also called an allure or, more prosaically, a wall-walk — is a raised, protected walkway behind a castle battlement....
, to close the gap between the Palas and the Landvogt's residence and protect the castle from cannon bombardment from the Goffersberg. The adjacent residence was covered by a huge earthen embankment which absorbed moisture and rendered the building uninhabitable. In 1659, a clocktower was built on the east bastion; its pointed roof was replaced in 1760 with an onion dome.
In 1893–94, the exterior wall was lowered by 6.5 m, making it possible to free the walled-up windows on the south side of the Landvogt's residence, and to dry out the walls. A rose garden was laid out on top of the now lower embankment. During the comprehensive renovation of 1978–86, the last remnant of the embankment was removed and a basement level excavated, which now houses part of the Aargau Museum.
Palas
The Palas (residence of the Count) was built in 1100 as a 4-storey, 18 m high fortified building. Together with the adjacent tower, it is one of the oldest buildings in the castle complex. The entrance was originally on the second floor, accessible only by way of a wooden outdoor staircase. The main floor had a fireplace, the top floor had the sleeping accommodations, and the lower two floors were storerooms.During the period of the Bernese Landvögte, the building was called the "Kill" because the torture chamber
Torture chamber
A torture chamber is a room where torture is inflicted.- Methods of coercion :According to Frederick Howard Wines in his book Punishment and Reformation: A Study Of The Penitentiary System there were three main types of coercion employed in the torture chamber: Coercion by the cord, by water and...
was located in it. In 1598–99 a new arched entrance was built on the ground floor. Between 1978 and 1986, the division of the floors and connection to the stairs were rearranged to make it possible to use the building for the Historical Museum.
Tower
The tower (also called the South KeepKeep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
) is 10 m square and has walls 3 m thick. It was built on to the Palas around 1170 and used its west end as a boundary wall. After the death of Ulrich IV, who had ordered it built, the work stopped and the building remained incomplete for almost 200 years. It was only finished in 1344. During the period of Bernese rule, beginning approximately in the early 17th century, the gaol was located on the first floor; it can still be visited today.
To create more storage space for grain, in 1728–29 the tower and the neighbouring Knights' Hall, and the well
Water well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
between them, were joined together with an unornamented utility building. This required the removal of the north façade, because the tower was not aligned with the Knights' Hall. In 1896, Augustus Jessup had the granary demolished and the tower returned to its original state. The well, first mentioned in 1369, was left in the open once more. During the renovation of 1978–86, the division of the floors and connection to the stairs were rearranged to accommodate part of the Historical Museum.
Knights' Hall
The construction of the Knights' Hall began in 1339 under HabsburgHabsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
rule. Duke Frederick II of Tyrol-Austria intended to marry the daughter of King Edward III of England at Lenzburg Castle, and thus ordered a suitable Gothic residential building to be erected. However, the young duke died in 1344 shortly before work could be completed, and the walls remained unplastered
Plaster
Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...
.
In 1508 the western part was in such bad condition that it had to be demolished and rebuilt. In the eastern part the exterior walls were left standing, but the interior was completely rearranged here, too. The building received new rafters and several columns to improve its load-bearing capacity
Structural load
Structural loads or actions are forces, deformations or accelerations applied to a structure or its components.Loads cause stresses, deformations and displacements in structures. Assessment of their effects is carried out by the methods of structural analysis...
, and the walls were now plastered. The length of the building was somewhat reduced, as the exterior wall at the west end was rebuilt a little further east.
Around 1590 the building had increasingly declined into a large barn, with grain storage and wine press
Wine press
A wine press is a device used to extract juice from crushed grapes during wine making. There are a number of different styles of presses that are used by wine makers but their overall functionality is the same. Each style of press exerts controlled pressure in order to free the juice from the fruit...
ing. In the same period, it acquired embrasure
Embrasure
In military architecture, an embrasure is the opening in a crenellation or battlement between the two raised solid portions or merlons, sometimes called a crenel or crenelle...
s. In 1758, the interior was once more completely changed; newly constructed intermediate floors made it possible to store even more grains.
In 1893, the building was restored as far as was possible to its original condition. The intermediate floors were removed and the pointed-arched windows restored to the great hall on the upper floor. Today the hall can be rented for social events.
Next to the Knights' Hall was a small chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
dedicated to St. Fortunatus. By 1763 this was so derelict that it had to be demolished.
Stapfer House
In 1599–1600, a plain two-storey building was added on the southwest side of the castle complex, the Hintere Haus or rear building. It was created by uniting the stable and mill under one roof. In 1705–07, the building was lengthened on the east side to create additional grain storage capacity. From 1822 to 1853, the educational reformer Christian Lippe headed an educational institution at the castle which used advanced teaching principles for the period. In 1893 the granary extension was demolished and replaced by a reconstructed battlement leading to the upper gatehouse.Today the rear building is Stapfer House, named for Philipp Albert Stapfer
Philipp Albert Stapfer
Philipp Albert Stapfer was a Swiss politician and philosopher.He was the plenipotentiary envoi of the Helvetic Republic to the French consulate in Paris from 1801 till 1803...
, a revolutionary and a minister in the Helvetic Republic
Helvetic Republic
In Swiss history, the Helvetic Republic represented an early attempt to impose a central authority over Switzerland, which until then consisted mainly of self-governing cantons united by a loose military alliance, and conquered territories such as Vaud...
. Since 1960 it has served as the Events Centre of the Stiftung Stapferhaus Lenzburg (Lenzburg Stapfer House Foundation), offering a variety of cultural activities such as exhibitions on current events.
Aargau Museum
The Museum Aargau (Aargau Museum), until 2007 the Historisches Museum Aargau (Aargau Historical Museum), includes in addition to Lenzburg Castle Hallwyl CastleHallwyl Castle
Hallwyl Castle is one of the most important moated castles in Switzerland. It is located on two islands in the River Aabach, near the northern end of Lake Hallwil in the municipality of Seengen in the canton of Aargau...
, and since 2009 Habsburg Castle
Habsburg castle
Habsburg Castle is a medieval fortress located in Habsburg, Switzerland in the canton of Aargau, near the Aar River. At the time of its construction, the location was part of the Duchy of Swabia. Habsburg Castle is the originating seat of the House of Habsburg, which became one of the leading...
and Königsfelden Abbey
Königsfelden Abbey
Königsfelden Abbey is a former Franciscan monastery and former Clarisse convent in the municipality of Windisch in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland. It was founded in 1308 by the Habsburgs and during the Reformation in 1528 it was secularized. The complex was then the residence of the bailiffs...
. It also has a collection of approximately 40,000 historic artefacts, assembled from various sources: cantonal property, private collections bequeathed to the canton, public collections, purchases, and gifts.
Lenzburg Castle contains five sections of the museum:
- Domestic museum: An exhibit on the way of life of the castle residents from the late Middle Ages through the Renaissance, the Baroque era, and the early modern period until 1900.
- Armoury: An exhibition of numerous weapons dating from the Middle Ages to the 18th century. The most valuable items are two swords which were used in the Battle of SempachBattle of SempachAn armistice was agreed upon on 12 October, followed by a peace agreement valid for one year, beginning on 14 January 1387.The battle was a severe blow to Austrian interests in the region, and allowed for the further growth of the Old Swiss Confederacy....
in 1386. - Faith, Piety, Art: Various works of sacred art from the Canton of Aargau.
- The Culture of the Banquet and Silver from Aargau: An exhibit on 18th-century banqueting with numerous valuable table settingTable settingTable setting or place setting refers to the way to set a table with tableware—such as eating utensils and dishes for serving and eating. The arrangement for a single diner is called a place setting...
s and secular silver. - Children's museum in the atticAtticAn attic is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building . Attic is generally the American/Canadian reference to it...
of the Landvogt's residence.
The castle is reached from the carpark at the foot of the castle hill via a footpath or a lift
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
between the tower and the Knights' Hall which provides access for the handicapped.
Sources
- Hans Dürst and Hans Weber. Schloss Lenzburg und Historisches Museum Aargau. Aarau: AT Verlag, 1990. ISBN 3-85502-385-9
- Jean-Jacques Siegrist and Hans Weber. Burgen, Schlösser und Landsitze im Aargau. Aaarau: AT Verlag, 1984. ISBN 3-85502-199-6
- Michael Stettler and Emil Maurer. Die Kunstdenkmäler des Kantons Aargau, Bezirke Lenzburg und Brugg. pp. 121–136. Basel: Birkhäuser VerlagBirkhäuser VerlagBirkhäuser Verlag is the leading European publisher for architecture, landscaping and design. Since 2010 it is part of the ActarBirkhäuser Group.-Scientific publishing:Founded in 1879 by Emil Birkhäuser the publishers program focused on regional literature...
, 1953. - Fritz Stuber, Jürg Lang et al. Stadtbilduntersuchung Altstadt Lenzburg. Zürich: Urbanistics, 1976. ISBN 3-85957-001-3
External links
- Schloss Lenzburg Home page
- Museum Aargau
- Kulturstiftung Stapferhaus
- Schloss Lenzburg at swisscastles.ch: photo gallery