Homburg Castle is an old

hill castle A hill castle or mountain 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. Hill castles ...

Nümbrecht Nümbrecht is a municipality in the Oberbergischer Kreis, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is a health resort, known for its good climate. Geography Nümbrecht is located about 40 km east of Cologne. Neighbouring places Division of ...

Oberbergischer Kreis The Oberbergischer Kreis ( ksh, Boverbärjische Kreiß) is a ''Kreis'' (district) in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Ennepe-Ruhr, Märkischer Kreis, Olpe, Altenkirchen, Rhein-Sieg, Rheinisch-Bergischer Krei ...

in the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

state of

North Rhine-Westphalia North Rhine-Westphalia (german: Nordrhein-Westfalen, ; li, Noordrien-Wesfale ; nds, Noordrhien-Westfalen; ksh, Noodrhing-Wäßßfaale), commonly shortened to NRW (), is a States of Germany, state (''Land'') in Western Germany. With more tha ...

History and construction

The ''Homburg'' is first mentioned in records of 1276. Gottfried I of

Sayn Sayn was a small German county of the Holy Roman Empire which, during the Middle Ages, existed within what is today Rheinland-Pfalz. There have been two Counties of Sayn. The first emerged in 1139 and became closely associated with the County o ...

from the House of Sponheim (1247-1283/84) transferred his ''castrum Homburg'' to the German King

Rudolf of Habsburg Rudolf I (1 May 1218 – 15 July 1291) was the first King of Germany from the House of Habsburg. The first of the count-kings of Germany, he reigned from 1273 until his death. Rudolf's election marked the end of the Great Interregnum which h ...

, in order to place it under his protection. He received the castle back as an inheritance. The castle was the residence of the Counts of Homburg, an imperial fiefdom (''Reichsherrschaft''). From 1635

Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

Ernst von Sayn-Wittgenstein altered the castle to its present-day appearance. One hundred years later the line of

Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg was one of several imperial counties and later principalities ruled by the House of Sayn-Wittgenstein. Most of the former county is located in the present district of Siegen-Wittgenstein (in the modern state of North ...

took over its management; the structure then fell into disrepair. Not until 1904 was its decline halted and, in 1926, a museum, founded by Hermann Conrad, took over the premises. Today it is the Museum of Oberbergisches Kreis. In 1999 during an excavation, a stone keep of about 12.5 metres diameter was uncovered. Experts estimate that it dates to the 11th century. A consequence of this was that the history of the castle had to be reassessed to that time. At the beginning of 2005 the district council decided to upgrade the castle.Artikel Bergische Morgenpost: ''Grünes Licht für Schloss-Ausbau'', 24.03.2005 Their plans included ''inter alia'' the expansion of the 'Red House' (''Rotes Haus'') and the construction of a central cash desk and toilet area. The old orangery was to be torn down and replaced by a new two-storey administration and exhibition building.

Other buildings on the castle site

In the immediate vicinity are a sawmill and mill with a bakery. In addition, in the former farmhouse building, the 'Red House', the castle's

tithe barn A tithe barn was a type of barn used in much of northern Europe in the Middle Ages for storing rents and tithes. Farmers were required to give one-tenth of their produce to the established church. Tithe barns were usually associated with the vi ...

, is the headquarters of the Oberberg Biological Station, whose main fields of work are the scientific and practical support of the Oberberg nature reserves and various landscape conservation projects.

Homburg Castle nature trail

The nature trail was established in 2004. This is a circular walk that was the initiative of the Oberberg Biological Station and German Forest Conservation Society (''Schutzgemeinschaft Deutscher Wald''). The footpath and nature trail starts at the castle and runs through Homburg Bröl and Huppichteroth, past the historic Holstein Mill and the ''Dicke Steine'' back to Homburg Castle. Nine information stations have been set up along the route which describe the natural environment around Homburg Castle and the Bröl meadow to walkers. The stations are: * Forests around Homburg Castle (''Wälder um Schloss Homburg''). Here the visitor can learn about the individual types of trees species using viewing boxes. * The Oak (''Die Eiche''). Here the life of an oak is explained with the help of annular rings, and the height of an oak can be measured. * Cultural Landscape (''Kulturlandschaft''). The diverse cultural landscape is explored together with the individual habitats using a telescope. * Village Life (''Lebensraum Dorf''). This explains how man and nature live side-by-side. Several bird calls may be heard here. * Hedge (''Hecke''). The planting of hedges as well as the life in the hedge is explained using diagrams and a picture board. * Tree-Top Platform (''Baumkronen-Plattform''). A platform built in the tree tops offers an unusual perspective with information boards that describe life in this part of the wood. * Bröl Meadow (''Brölaue''). Here the water level and the animal life in the Bröl stream is demonstrated using viewing screens and a rotating wheel. * ''Dicke Steine''. The origin of this natural monument is clearly explained. * Woodpecker Wood (''Spechtwald''). At this station there is a view of a spotted woodpecker nest. The Homburg Castle nature trail is about 2.8 km long and the walk generally takes 1.5 to 2 hours.

Pictures

file:Schloss Homburg Mühlrad.jpg, The water wheel of the grain- and sawmill at Homburg Castle file:Homburg-1.jpg, Homburg Castle

References

External links

Website for the nature trailHomburg Castle Museum
{{Authority control Castles in North Rhine-Westphalia Museums in North Rhine-Westphalia Local museums in Germany Buildings and structures in Oberbergischer Kreis