Rock castle
Encyclopedia
A rock castle is a type of medieval castle
which directly incorporates natural rock formations into its defences to such an extent that the rock formations define the structure of the castle. Topographically rock castles are classified as hill castle
s.
The rock on which the castle stands is always incorporated into its design. If the rock is easy to work (e.g. sandstone
), rooms, passages, steps, well shafts and cisterns were always hacked out of it. The buildings, made of wood or stone, stood on or next to the rock and used it as a foundation or walls. The remains of wooden structures are not usually preserved today, but their location and appearance can be partially gauged by the joist bearings and joist holes still visible in the rock.
Rock castles occur in large numbers in the southern Palatinate (Palatinate Forest), in northern Alsace
(North Vosges
) as well as in North Bohemia
and Saxon Switzerland
, where great sandstone rocks provide the necessary prerequisite for their construction.
Most rock castles no longer exist today. Often the site was slighted and then used by local residents as a stone quarry, so that apart from the changes to the rocks themselves, only a few remains are still visible. Several rock castles, like the ruins of Neuwindstein still have impressive wall remains however. A few rock castles were rebuilt in more recent times, e. g. Berwartstein Castle
at the end of the 19th century and the imperial castle of Trifels Castle
, which was to have become a "site of national remembrance" (nationalen Weihestätte) during the Nazi era. In both cases it was not a reconstruction of the medieval fortification but a contemporary new design.
Castle researcher, Otto Piper used the German phrase ausgehauene Burg (literally: "carved-out castle") for castles that had rooms artificially hewn out of the the rock on which the castle stood. His examples of such rock-hewn castles include Fleckenstein, Trifels
and Altwindstein. From a constructional point of view there is a close relationship with cave castle
s, which are also often enhanced with rooms artificially cut out of the rock.
, notably Lichtenstein Castle. The neighbouring castle of Rotenhan and others were inundated with visitors from throughout Europe. However, there is no archaeological evidence as a rule of pre-medieval use as site for cult rituals or sacrifices.
In Germany:
In Czechia:
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...
which directly incorporates natural rock formations into its defences to such an extent that the rock formations define the structure of the castle. Topographically rock castles are classified as hill castle
Hill castle
A hill castle is a castle built on a natural feature that stands above the surrounding terrain. It is a term derived from the German Höhenburg used in categorising castle sites by their topographical location...
s.
Layout
By contrast with the usual hill castles, that utilize the bedrock as a foundation for the individual buildings, the entire structure of rock castles is shaped by natural, often isolated rock formations, such as rock pinnacles or crags. Typically a rock castle was built on a rock that was able to provide a fortified position without any great additions. In simple fortifications of this type the rock could be climbed on simple ladders that were hoisted up in times of danger. Rock castles would also have wooden and stone structures built on or against them. The morphological characteristics of the rock were crucial to the extent and nature of any structures.The rock on which the castle stands is always incorporated into its design. If the rock is easy to work (e.g. sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone 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,...
), rooms, passages, steps, well shafts and cisterns were always hacked out of it. The buildings, made of wood or stone, stood on or next to the rock and used it as a foundation or walls. The remains of wooden structures are not usually preserved today, but their location and appearance can be partially gauged by the joist bearings and joist holes still visible in the rock.
Rock castles occur in large numbers in the southern Palatinate (Palatinate Forest), in northern 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...
(North Vosges
Vosges
Vosges is a French department, named after the local mountain range. It contains the hometown of Joan of Arc, Domrémy.-History:The Vosges department is one of the original 83 departments of France, created on February 9, 1790 during the French Revolution. It was made of territories that had been...
) as well as in North Bohemia
North Bohemia
North Bohemia , is a region in the north of the Czech Republic.- Location :North Bohemia roughly covers the present-day NUTS regional unit of CZ04 Severozápad and the western part of CZ05 Severovýchod....
and Saxon Switzerland
Saxon Switzerland
Saxon Switzerland is a hilly climbing area and national park around the Elbe valley south-east of Dresden in Saxony, Germany. Together with the Bohemian Switzerland in the Czech Republic it forms the Elbe Sandstone Mountains....
, where great sandstone rocks provide the necessary prerequisite for their construction.
Most rock castles no longer exist today. Often the site was slighted and then used by local residents as a stone quarry, so that apart from the changes to the rocks themselves, only a few remains are still visible. Several rock castles, like the ruins of Neuwindstein still have impressive wall remains however. A few rock castles were rebuilt in more recent times, e. g. Berwartstein Castle
Berwartstein Castle
Berwartstein Castle is a castle in the Wasgau, the southern part of the Palatinate Forest in the state Rhineland-Palatinate in southwestern Germany. It belongs to the category of rock castles that were part of the Palatinate defences during the Middle Ages...
at the end of the 19th century and the imperial castle of Trifels Castle
Trifels Castle
Trifels Castle is a medieval castle at an elevation of near the small town of Annweiler, in the Palatinate region of southwestern Germany. It is located high above the Queich valley within the Palatinate Forest on one peak of a red sandstone mountain split into three...
, which was to have become a "site of national remembrance" (nationalen Weihestätte) during the Nazi era. In both cases it was not a reconstruction of the medieval fortification but a contemporary new design.
Rock-hewn castles
Trifels Castle
Trifels Castle is a medieval castle at an elevation of near the small town of Annweiler, in the Palatinate region of southwestern Germany. It is located high above the Queich valley within the Palatinate Forest on one peak of a red sandstone mountain split into three...
and Altwindstein. From a constructional point of view there is a close relationship with cave castle
Cave castle
A cave castle or grotto castle is a residential or refuge castle that has been built into a natural cave. It falls within the category of hill castles. Unlike other types of castle , a cave castle can only be assaulted from the front...
s, which are also often enhanced with rooms artificially cut out of the rock.
False interpretations
The shapes carved out of the rock, the foundation footings and joist pockets are often falsely interpreted by laymen as prehistoric or early history heathen cult sites. In some cases this has resulted in tourists being attracted which in turn has caused considerable damage to these monuments. Foremost amongst these are Frankish castles in the Haßberge HillsHaßberge Hills
The Haßberge Hills are a 512,2 m over zero high hill chain north of the Main River in Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. On the other side of the Main Valley is the Steigerwald....
, notably Lichtenstein Castle. The neighbouring castle of Rotenhan and others were inundated with visitors from throughout Europe. However, there is no archaeological evidence as a rule of pre-medieval use as site for cult rituals or sacrifices.
Important rock castles
In France:- Château du FleckensteinChâteau du FleckensteinChâteau du Fleckenstein is a castle in the commune of Lembach, in the Bas-Rhin département of France. This fortress, built in the shape of 52 m long boat, has a long history. The castle was built on a sandstone summit in the Middle Ages...
, VosgesVosgesVosges is a French department, named after the local mountain range. It contains the hometown of Joan of Arc, Domrémy.-History:The Vosges department is one of the original 83 departments of France, created on February 9, 1790 during the French Revolution. It was made of territories that had been...
In Germany:
- Altdahn CastleAltdahn CastleAltdahn Castle is a castle ruin in the Palatinate Forest near Dahn in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.Together with the castles Grafendahn and Tanstein, Altdahn Castle is located on top of a rocky low mountain range.- External links :*...
, Palatinate Forest - Grafendahn Castle, Palatinate Forest
- Tanstein Castle, Palatinate Forest
- Scharzfels CastleScharzfels CastleScharzfels Castle is the medieval ruin of a fortification located east of the village of Scharzfeld in the borough of Herzberg am Harz in central Germany. It lies in a wood on a ridge about 150 m above the Oder valley. For centuries after its construction in the 10th century it remained an...
, Harz perimeterHarzThe Harz is the highest mountain range in northern Germany and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The name Harz derives from the Middle High German word Hardt or Hart , latinized as Hercynia. The legendary Brocken is the highest summit in the Harz... - Neurathen CastleNeurathen CastleNeurathen Castle , which was first mentioned by this name in 1755 , is located near the famous Bastei rocks near Rathen in Saxon Switzerland in the German Free State of Saxony. This was once the largest rock castle in the region, but today only the rooms carved out of the rock, passages, the...
, Saxon SwitzerlandSaxon SwitzerlandSaxon Switzerland is a hilly climbing area and national park around the Elbe valley south-east of Dresden in Saxony, Germany. Together with the Bohemian Switzerland in the Czech Republic it forms the Elbe Sandstone Mountains....
In Czechia:
- Frýdštejn CastleFrýdštejn CastleThe ruins of Frýdštejn Castle can be found in the Liberec Region, Czech Republic, near the town Turnov. It is one of three castles in Jablonec nad Nisou District. A typical rock castle, it lies on the upper end of a long sandstone rock ridge, next to the village of Frýdštejn...
, Český ráj - Rotštejn Castle, Český ráj
- Valečov Castle, Český ráj
- Vranov Castle, Český ráj
- Helfenburk Castle, Dauba Switzerland
- Sloup Castle, Lusatian MountainsLusatian MountainsThe Lusatian Mountains are a mountain range of the Western Sudetes, located on the southeastern border of Germany with the Czech Republic east of the Elbe river, a continuation of the Ore Mountains range west of the Elbe valley...
- Šaunštejn CastleŠaunštejn CastleŠaunštejn Castle is a rock castle near Vysoká Lípa in the Bohemian Switzerland in the Czech Republic. Today only a few ruins remain of the original castle...
, Bohemian Switzerland
Literature
- Walter Herrmann: Auf rotem Fels. G. Braun Buchverlag Karlsruhe, ISBN 978-3765085659