Randeck Castle (german: Burg Randeck or ''Randegg'') is a

ruined Ruins () are the remains of a civilization's architecture. The term refers to formerly intact structures that have fallen into a state of partial or total disrepair over time due to a variety of factors, such as lack of maintenance, deliberate ...

hill castle on the ''Schlossberg'' () roughly west of the

wine growing Viticulture (from the Latin word for ''vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ran ...

village of

Mannweiler-Cölln Mannweiler-Cölln is a municipality in the Donnersbergkreis district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in E ...

on the River

Alsenz Alsenz () is a municipality in the Donnersbergkreis district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Alsenz has an area of 12.88 km2 and a population of 1,647 (as of December 31, 2020). Culture and sights In the centre of the village is the Re ...

in the county of Donnersbergkreis in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It was the family seat of the lords of Randeck.

History

The castle was probably built in the 12th century. It is first recorded in 1202 with a Henry of Randeck (''Henricus de Randeke''). He was probably a grandson of Ulrich of Wartenberg.Martin Dolch, Stefan Ulrich: Pfälzisches Burgenlexikon IV.1 O-Sp, Kaiserslautern, 2007, , pp. 198 - 206. He was succeeded in 1231 by his son Godfrey I of Randeck. The grandson of Godfrey in 1298, Dietrich of Randeck. Another grandson in 1311, George of Randeck. From here were also descended Eberhard of Randeck (d 1372),

cathedral dean A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...

and Bishop-elect of Speyer. The castle was loaned in 1649 by Emperor Ferdinand III to the

Teutonic knight The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, commonly known as the Teutonic Order, is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was formed to aid Christians on ...

, Hans Ludwig of Lewenstein. After the Lewensteins died out, the castle fell in 1668 to the Electoral Mainz chancellor, Nikolaus Georg Reigersberg. In 1690, during the War of the Palatine Succession, the castle was suddenly stormed by the French and blown up. Despite that, a few of its buildings were made habitable again. It was reported in 1844 that the castle was in private hands; it was torn down and its materials utilised. Today, the castle is owned by the Cultural History Society of Mannweiler-Cölln. The remains of the enceinte, a corner

outwork An outwork is a minor fortification built or established outside the principal fortification limits, detached or semidetached. Outworks such as ravelins, lunettes (demilunes), flèches and caponiers to shield bastions and fortification curtains ...

, the

flanking tower A flanking tower is a fortified tower that is sited on the outside of a defensive wall or other fortified structure and thus forms a flank. From the defensive platform and embrasures the section of wall between them (the curtain wall) could be s ...

s and the foundations of the '' bergfried'' have survived.

References

External links

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Burg Randegg bei burgenwelt.de
{{Authority control Castles in Rhineland-Palatinate Heritage sites in Rhineland-Palatinate Donnersbergkreis