| Habsburg Castle | |
|---|---|
Schloss Habsburg | |
| Habsburg | |
.jpg) Habsburg Castle | |
| Site information | |
| Type | hill castle,summit location |
| Code | CH-AG |
| Condition | West part restored; east ruins |
| Location | |
  Habsburg Castle  Habsburg Castle | |
| Coordinates | 47°27′45.86″N8°10′51.74″E / 47.4627389°N 8.1810389°E /47.4627389; 8.1810389 |
| Height | 20 metersTemplate:Höhe/unknown reference |
| Site history | |
| Built | Around 1020/30 to 1300 |
_basic_structure_and_stages.jpg)
Habsburg Castle (German:Schloss Habsburg,pronounced[ˌʃlɔsˈhaːpsbʊʁk]ⓘ) is a medieval fortress located in what is nowHabsburg, Switzerland, in thecanton ofAargau, near theAar River. At the time of its construction, the location was part of theDuchy of Swabia. Habsburg Castle is the original seat of theHouse of Habsburg, which became one of the leadingimperial and royal dynasties inEurope. It is listed as a Swissheritage site of national significance.[1]
The castle was built around 1020 byCount Radbot, of the nearbycounty ofKlettgau in the Duchy of Swabia, andWerner, Bishop of Strasbourg.[2] They had the castle erected 35 km southwest of Klettgau, on theAar, the largest tributary of theHigh Rhine. It is believed that he named the castle after ahawk (German:Habicht) seen sitting on its walls. Some historians and linguists believe the name may come from the Middle High German wordhab/hap meaningford, as it is located near a ford of the Aar River.[3]
The name of "Habsburg" was not added to the noble title until Radbot's grandson,Otto II. He added "von Habsburg" to his title, thus beginning the House of Habsburg.[3]
Habsburg Castle's importance diminished after Radbot's seventh generation descendantRudolph moved the family's power base toAustria in 1276. Habsburg Castle remained property of the House of Habsburg until 1415, whenDuke Frederick IV of Austria lost the canton of Aargau to theSwiss Confederacy.[3]
The originalcoat of arms to fly over Habsburg Castle, a red lion on a golden field, remained part of the Austrian arms up to the end of the imperial period. The modern arms of the municipality of Habsburg, Switzerland, depict Habsburg Castle.[citation needed]
The area around the castle was covered by forests that were only cleared around 1500, nearly half a millennium after Habsburg Castle was first constructed.[citation needed]
The castle has been owned by theCanton of Aargau since 1804.[4] It became part ofMuseum Aargau [de] in 2009.[4] Today the "large" and "small" towers of the original castle are preserved, attached to a residential building of the 13th century, while large parts of the complex lie in ruins. The extent of its eastern part is recognizable only by foundation walls. The palatial residence hosts a restaurant and a small exhibition.[3]
Media related toHabsburg Castle at Wikimedia Commons| International | |
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