Meersburg Castle (German:Burg Meersburg), also known as theAlte Burg (English: Old Castle), inMeersburg onLake Constance in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, is considered to be one of the oldest inhabited castles in Germany. The central tower was first built during the 7th century, though the original structure is no longer visible. Burg Meersburg is known as the old castle, in the reference to the neighboring 18th centuryNew Castle.
The Burg Meersburg is located on a rocky outcropping near Lake Constance (German:Bodensee). The castle is located about 440 m above sea level and towers above the Lower City, but is about level with the rest of the city.
There are two theories about the construction of the Meersburg. The first is that theMerovingian kingDagobert I built theDagobertturm (Dagobert's Tower), the centralkeep of the Meersburg, in 630. Around 630, Dagobert was in the Lake Constance region working on theChristianization of theAlamanni.[1] This theory is based on a source from 1548,[2] and was supported byJoseph von Laßberg who lived in the castle during the 19th century. A charter issued byFrederick Barbarossa on 27 November 1155, citing older, questionable sources, mentions that the boundaries of theBishopric of Constance were established by Dagobert himself[3] indicating that Dagobert was personally involved in establishing rulers in the region.
The second theory is that the castle was built in the early 12th century, and based on the name of the tower an association with the earlier Merovingian king was created. It is based on the observation that in the Lake Constance region there are no records of any castles being founded in the 7th century, but in the 12th century to early 13th century many castles were built in the region. TheMerdesburch Castle was first mentioned in 1113,[1] which implies a construction date before the early 12th century.
The stones at the base of theDagobertturm are very large roughly squared stones that according toarchitectural history could date from either the 7th century[4] or from the 12th century to early 13th century. Because the stones could have come from either era, it is not clear which theory is correct. However, similarities between the Meersburg and other 12th-century castles have been noted.
Joseph von Laßberg also presents the theory that the tower was built on the site of an earlier destroyed castle. He states that the castle was destroyed by DukeGotfrid of Alemannia who was at war with Dagobert's successor and rebuilt 80 years later byCharles Martel. From 730 until 911 the Meersburg was aCarolingian castle and owned by the Counts ofLinzgau, but administered by the Counts ofBuchhorn. Following the extinction of the Buchhorn line, it would have passed to the Counts of Welf. A contract between the Counts of Welf and the Bishopric of Constance indicated that the Meersburg would be given to the Bishopric if the count died without any male heirs. It appears that the Welfs and the Bishopric had close ties, asBishop Conrad was of Welf descent.[5]
The castle may have been owned by several different lords during the following centuries. It appears that the castle was owned by theHohenstaufens for a while, because in 1213King Frederick II celebrated theHoly Week in Meersburg. Then, in 1233 Meersburg was granted theweekly market right by Frederick II. Shortly before his death in 1254,Conrad IV, having been deposed andexcommunicated byPope Innocent IV asked Eberhard II, the High Steward of Meersburg to care for his two-year-old sonConradin. In 1261 Conradin became theDuke of Swabia, raising an army in theRavensburg area. He departed from Meersburg[6] to head south intoItaly to fightCharles I of Anjou and attempt to reclaim the titles stripped by the Pope from his father. While Conradin was able to take Rome, he was soon afterward captured and executed.
A few years later, in 1268 the castle came totally under the ownership of the Bishopric of Constance[7]
However, even as a residence for a bishop, the Meersburg was the site of several battles over the following centuries. In 1334, there were two candidates for the position of Bishop of Constance. Baron Nikolaus I ofKenzingen was elected bishop by supporters of the Pope while Albrecht ofHohenberg was chosen by theHoly Roman Emperor. Nikolaus quickly traveled toAvignon, in France the seat ofPope John XXII to have his appointment confirmed. He then returned to Meersburg and quickly had the defenses improved. Albrecht, meanwhile, had raised an army from the southern German princes and was joined by an Imperial army led by the Emperor. During the summer of 1334, the Imperial armybesieged Burg Meersburg. During the siege,cannons were used for the first time in Germany.[8] However, even with the new gunpowder weapons the Imperial troops were unable to take the castle. At the end of August,Emperor Louis IV was growing tired of the siege. When DukeOtto of Austria requested his help against theBohemians, Louis left Meersburg and confirmed Nikolaus as bishop. Albrecht was granted theBishopric of Würzburg in 1345 to replace the lost Bishopric.[8]
Following Nikolaus, Urich Pfefferhardt was bishop from 1345 until 1351. In 1352 Johann III Windlock fromConstance was installed at the castle, he proved to be an autocratic ruler and was disliked by the people and local nobles. Following a dispute with Konrad of Homberg-Markdorf and theAbbot Eberhard ofReichenau, he was killed by soldiers while in his palace in Constance.[8]
Over the next century at least thirteen other Bishops were installed. Then in 1436 Heinrich IV ofHewen was appointed bishop. His belligerent and arbitrary style caused friction between himself and the town. Following a riot, the town was fined 4,000florins for breaking the peace within the castle grounds.[8] Later attempts by the town to secureFree Imperial City status led to further hostilities in 1457. The inhabitants of the city stormed the castle and captured it. Bishop Heinrich responded by besieging the city. Following intervention bySiegmund of Austria as well as Constance andZürich a compromise was reached. Heinrich then withdrew, but attacked the city a short while later. Catching the citizens off guard, his soldiers stormed the city and captured all the leaders of the revolution. Heinrich executed the leaders of the rebellion and stripped rights away from the city.
Thecrow-stepped gable (a stepped roof line instead of a smooth roof line) on the tower was added by the Constance Prince-BishopHugo von Hohenlandenberg (Served 1496–1532). Before his time, the Meersburg was a summer residence of the bishops. Following a conflict with the city of Constance in 1526, Hugo moved to the Meersburg. The castle remained the bishops' primary residence until the move to the New Schloss in the 18th century.
In 1647 the castle was attacked bySwedish troops during theThirty Years' War, however only the roof timbers were burned during the attack.
During the beginning of the 18th century, the bishops began to build theNew Castle at Meersburg as a modern residence castle. After 1750 the old castle served as a house for the administration of the city.
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In theSecularization of 1803 the Meersburg came under the control of theGrand Duchy of Baden. In 1838 the Grand Duke sold the castle to a private owner. The collectorJoseph von Laßberg and his wife Baroness Maria Anna von Droste-Hülshoff, who was also called Jenny, acquired the castle. In 1841 Jenny's sisterAnnette von Droste-Hülshoff, the famous German poet, moved to the castle where she would spend the last eight years of her life. Following the death of the Laßbergs, the castle went to their twin daughters, Hildegard and Hildegunde. However they couldn't afford the upkeep and sold the castle in 1877. Karl Mayer von Mayerfels fromMunich bought the castle and established a Medieval Museum in the castle. Today portions of the castle are open visitors on self-guided tours. The remainder of the castle is occupied by his descendants.
Media related toBurg Meersburg at Wikimedia Commons
47°41′38″N9°16′13″E / 47.69389°N 9.27028°E /47.69389; 9.27028
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