Steuerwald Castle, Hildesheim
Encyclopedia
Steuerwald Castle is a well-preserved romanesque
castle in Hildesheim
, a city in Lower Saxony
, Germany
.
in 815. The settlement around the cathedral of Hildesheim
was ruled by the clergy for four centuries and it quickly developed into a town which was awarded market rights
by King Otto III
in 983. The town grew further and obtained city rights
in 1249, developing into a very wealthy merchant city. At the end of the 13th century, Hildesheim had about 5,000 inhabitants and was one of the biggest and richest cities in the North of Germany. The citizens gained more and more self-confidence and did not want to be governed by the bishop any longer. As the bishop did not want to reside in the rebellious and dangerous city any more, he ordered Steuerwald Castle in the North of the city to be built as a new residence. When the castle was completed in 1313, he left Hildesheim. The bishops of Hildesheim resided in Steuerwald Castle until 1763. Then a bishop's palace was built in the centre of the city opposite the cathedral.
According to the orders given by Henry III, Steuerwald Castle was built in 1310-1313 near the river Innerste
in the North of Hildesheim, about 3 kilometers from the city The Castle was surrounded by a rampart with a moat. Bishop Otto II (1319–31), successor of Henry III, ordered the castle to be enlarged. The tall castle keep was built in 1325. In the Thirty Years' War
, Steuerwald Castle was enlarged again in 1622 under bishop Ferdinand of Bavaria. Then it was besieged several times and conquered on 4 June 1632, but only slightly damaged. After the Thirty Years' War had come to an end in 1648, the bishops of Hildesheim continued residing in Steuerwald Castle. Bishop Clemens August of Bavaria
ordered a part of the castle to be remodelled in 1728 once more. During the secularization
, the Catholic Church lost the castle in 1803. It was transformed into a government-owned domain, and some buildings which had deep cellars were used as a brewery. Several barns and stables were built, and a part of the moat was levelled, as the space was needed for the construction of a tenant's house in 1819. The City of Hildesheim bought the castle on 1 September 1912 as most of its grounds were needed to construct an inland harbour and a canal.
The small village of Steuerwald developed around the castle on the river Innerste. At the beginning of the 20th century it had 231 inhabitants, most whom of were working in the domain. In 1912, the village of Steuerwald became a part of the city of Hildesheim. Most of the buildings of the village had to be torn down when the inland harbour of Hildesheim was built. The harbour was inaugurated in 1926.
During World War II
, the roofs of the romanesque palace and of some of the barns received some damage, when a bomb exploded near Steuerwald during an air raid on Hanover
on 9 October 1943. After the war, Steuerwald Castle was used for residential purposes, as the city of Hildesheim had suffered severe bomb damage. In the 1970s a race course was laid out behind the castle which has been used by a riding club since 1973.
, are well-preserved.
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
castle in Hildesheim
Hildesheim
Hildesheim is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located in the district of Hildesheim, about 30 km southeast of Hanover on the banks of the Innerste river, which is a small tributary of the Leine river...
, a city in Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
History
Hildesheim was founded as the seat of the Bishopric of HildesheimBishopric of Hildesheim
The Diocese of Hildesheim is a diocese or ecclesiastical territory of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church in Germany. Founded in 815 as a missionary diocese by King Louis the Pious, his son Louis the German appointed the famous former archbishop of Rheims, Ebbo, as bishop...
in 815. The settlement around the cathedral of Hildesheim
St. Mary's Cathedral, Hildesheim
St. Mary's Cathedral in Hildesheim, Germany, is an important medieval Catholic cathedral, that has been on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list since 1985....
was ruled by the clergy for four centuries and it quickly developed into a town which was awarded market rights
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
by King Otto III
Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto III , a King of Germany, was the fourth ruler of the Saxon or Ottonian dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire. He was elected King in 983 on the death of his father Otto II and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 996.-Early reign:...
in 983. The town grew further and obtained city rights
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...
in 1249, developing into a very wealthy merchant city. At the end of the 13th century, Hildesheim had about 5,000 inhabitants and was one of the biggest and richest cities in the North of Germany. The citizens gained more and more self-confidence and did not want to be governed by the bishop any longer. As the bishop did not want to reside in the rebellious and dangerous city any more, he ordered Steuerwald Castle in the North of the city to be built as a new residence. When the castle was completed in 1313, he left Hildesheim. The bishops of Hildesheim resided in Steuerwald Castle until 1763. Then a bishop's palace was built in the centre of the city opposite the cathedral.
According to the orders given by Henry III, Steuerwald Castle was built in 1310-1313 near the river Innerste
Innerste
The Innerste is a river in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is a right tributary of the Leine river and 95 km in length.- Origin of the name :...
in the North of Hildesheim, about 3 kilometers from the city The Castle was surrounded by a rampart with a moat. Bishop Otto II (1319–31), successor of Henry III, ordered the castle to be enlarged. The tall castle keep was built in 1325. In the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, Steuerwald Castle was enlarged again in 1622 under bishop Ferdinand of Bavaria. Then it was besieged several times and conquered on 4 June 1632, but only slightly damaged. After the Thirty Years' War had come to an end in 1648, the bishops of Hildesheim continued residing in Steuerwald Castle. Bishop Clemens August of Bavaria
Clemens August of Bavaria
Clemens August of Bavaria was a member of the Wittelsbach dynasty of Bavaria and Archbishop-Elector of Cologne.-Biography:...
ordered a part of the castle to be remodelled in 1728 once more. During the secularization
Secularization
Secularization is the transformation of a society from close identification with religious values and institutions toward non-religious values and secular institutions...
, the Catholic Church lost the castle in 1803. It was transformed into a government-owned domain, and some buildings which had deep cellars were used as a brewery. Several barns and stables were built, and a part of the moat was levelled, as the space was needed for the construction of a tenant's house in 1819. The City of Hildesheim bought the castle on 1 September 1912 as most of its grounds were needed to construct an inland harbour and a canal.
The small village of Steuerwald developed around the castle on the river Innerste. At the beginning of the 20th century it had 231 inhabitants, most whom of were working in the domain. In 1912, the village of Steuerwald became a part of the city of Hildesheim. Most of the buildings of the village had to be torn down when the inland harbour of Hildesheim was built. The harbour was inaugurated in 1926.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the roofs of the romanesque palace and of some of the barns received some damage, when a bomb exploded near Steuerwald during an air raid on Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
on 9 October 1943. After the war, Steuerwald Castle was used for residential purposes, as the city of Hildesheim had suffered severe bomb damage. In the 1970s a race course was laid out behind the castle which has been used by a riding club since 1973.
Architecture
Steuerwald Castle has been remodelled and enlarged several times over the centuries, but the castle keep, the North and West aisles, a large barn and especially the romanesque palace, all dating from the Late Middle AgesLate Middle Ages
The Late Middle Ages was the period of European history generally comprising the 14th to the 16th century . The Late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern era ....
, are well-preserved.
- In the West, a part of the moat and the old wall with firing slits is preserved. In the second half of the 18th century, a large half-timbered store house was built outside the castle; this is to be renovated.
- The impressive castle keep reaching a height of 26 meters has a quadrate basis measuring 9.35 x 9.35 meters, firing slits and a tent roof. Due to its walls reaching a thickness of 2 meters it was used as a prison in former times. Originally there was a door in the basis of the keep which served as the main entrance to the castle. Today, the keep is surrounded by a stable which was built in 1819.
- The inner court measures 175 x 175 meters. The Romanesque Palace (Palas), reaching a height of 23.15 meters, was built of sandstoneSandstoneSandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
at the beginning of the 14th century. Only the North and the West aisles are preserved. The palace has four floors and several gothic lancet windows. On the third floor there is a great hall. The roof was renovated in 2010.
- In the inner court there is a large barn, built of sandstone in the 14th century.
- The representative Tenant's House is one of the buildings which were added later. It was built in 1819 with a flight of outdoor stairs.
- St. Magdalena's Chapel was built in a romanesque style in 1310. In 1507 it was remodelled in a gothic style and an apseApseIn architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
with lancet windows was added. Above the entrance with a typical pointed arch there is a noteworthy sandstone reliefReliefRelief is a sculptural technique. The term relief is from the Latin verb levo, to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is thus to give the impression that the sculpted material has been raised above the background plane...
showing the coat of arms of bishop John IV who ordered the chapel to be remodelled. The chapel, which was renovated in 1990, has 55 seats and is used for concerts and weddings.