The Schönburg is a
castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...
above the medieval town of
Oberwesel
Oberwesel () is a town on the Middle Rhine in the Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis (district) in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' Hunsrück-Mittelrhein, whose seat is in Emmelshausen.
Geography
Location
Oberwesel lies ...
in the
UNESCO World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
of the
Upper Middle Rhine Valley,
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate ( , ; german: link=no, Rheinland-Pfalz ; lb, Rheinland-Pfalz ; pfl, Rhoilond-Palz) is a western state of Germany. It covers and has about 4.05 million residents. It is the ninth largest and sixth most populous of the ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
.
History
Schönburg Castle was first mentioned in history between the years 911 and 1166.
From the 12th century, the
Lords of Schönburg ruled over the town of Oberwesel and had also the right to levy customs on the Rhine river. The most famous was Friedrich von Schönburg - a much-feared man known as “Marshall Schomberg” - who in the 17th century served as a colonel and as a general under the King of France in France and Portugal and later also for the Prussians and for William Prince of Orange in England.
The Schönburg line died out with the last heir, the son of Friedrich of Schönburg.
The castle was burned down in 1689 by French soldiers during the
War of the Grand Alliance
The Nine Years' War (1688–1697), often called the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg, was a conflict between France and a European coalition which mainly included the Holy Roman Empire (led by the Habsburg monarch ...
.
Schönburg today
Schönburg castle remained in ruins for 200 years until it was acquired by the German-American
Rhinelander family who bought the castle from the town of Oberwesel in the late 19th century, and restored it.
The town council of Oberwesel acquired the castle back from the Rhinelander family in 1950.
Since 1957 the Hüttl family have been living at the castle on a long-term lease; they operate a successful hotel and restaurant there.
Notes and references
External links
Hotel website
Castles in Rhineland-Palatinate
Jugendburg
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