Rochsburg Castle

Rochsburg Castle (German: Schloss Rochsburg), which was probably founded in the late 12th century, stands on a rock

zwingers is still easy to recognise. In its present appearance the schloss dates, however, to the Late Gothic and Renaissance

periods. Its main construction phases date to 1470 and 1548; it is an important example of Renaissance architecture in Saxony. Over centuries the Rochsburg has formed the centrepiece in the Saxon district of Rochsburg.

History

Although a certain Gunteros de Rochsberg was mentioned several times from the 1190s, it is not certain whether the castle itself was built before 1200. Gunteros was first mentioned in 1195^[1] in a Wettin document. The name of the Barony of Rochsburg appears several times in the records of the early 13th century.

In 1283, there is the first record of the burgraves of Altenburg as the vassals of the Wettins at Rochsburg.^[1] In 1296, the "castrum Burggravii Rochsberg" is named as the apparently preferred residence of Dietrich II of Altenburg.^[1]

In 1329, the castle went, through marriage, to Otto of

Electoral Saxon

troops used the absence of the count to recapture it.

The castle went in 1470 for 4,000 guilders as a

Albert of Saxony

, repay the 4,000 guilders deposit and pay another 4,000 guilders as compensation for the cost of construction.

Reeves once again managed the now ducal (Albertine) amt of Rochsburg. In 1503 the Rochsburg was entirely burned down, carelessness in the kitchen being the cause. The brothers, Henry and Götz of Ende, on the adjacent Kriebstein took advantage of the opportunity and exchanged their Barony of Kriebstein for the Rochsburg territory.^[1]

In 1547, when Electoral Saxon troops plundered and razed the weakly defended castle during the

maison de plaisance

was built in front of the castle gates to a round plan. Today it is the last surviving example of this type of building in Saxony.

In 1637 Christian Ernest of Schönburg became the only owner of the Rochsburg by buying out the others. He left his mark in the layout of the castle gardens.

Increasing financial difficulties forced the owner in 1911 to open up several rooms in the castle to the public as a small museum.

youth hostel

was opened in the buildings.

Until 1945, the Rochsburg remained in the possession of the House of Schönburg who had been elevated to counts in 1700. In 1945, the aristocratic family was dispossessed and the property was seized by the state of Saxony.

Second World War

, the museum was reopened with a larger floor area and has since displayed furnishings from the 16th to 19th centuries. The youth hostel also reopened that year.

In 1952 the then county of Rochlitz took over the Rochsburg. In 1992, Rochlitz was absorbed into the county of Mittweida, who continued to use the property.

From 1991 to 1997,

Joachim Graf von Schönburg-Glauchau lived at the Rochsburg. The youth hostel closed in 1998. The museum is currently^[when?

] being expanded.

Description

The castle consists of a quadrangular

inner ward with the remains of a Late Romanesque hall or residence and the bergfried in the centre, which is partly made of brick and was built in 1200 and the early 13th century. There is also an adjoining domestic courtyard with a triangular ground plan. The Zwickau Mulde flows around the position on three sides and the Rochsburg is well protected by natural features and is only accessible over the drawbridge that spans the neck ditch

.

In the inner courtyard of the inner bailey there is a 53-metre-deep castle well within a wooden wellhouse.

The

Late Renaissance

style by castle architect and sculptor, Andreas Lorenz.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Rochsburg – Sachsen at www.burgenwelt.de. Retrieved 22 October 2014.

Literature

Walter Bachmann: Die Rochsburg. In: Mitteilungen des Landesverein Sächsischer Heimatschutz, Vol. XVII, Issue 5-6/1928, Dresden, 1928, pp. 221–246.
Matthias Donath (ed.): Schloß und Herrschaft Rochsburg. Beucha, 2006,
ISBN 3-934544-92-4
.

Yves Hoffmann: Zur Datierung von Wohntürmen und Bergfrieden des 11. bis 13. Jahrhundert auf sächsischen Burgen. In: Historische Bauforschung in Sachsen. Arbeitsheft 4 des Landesamtes für Denkmalpflege 2000. pp. 47–58.

Karl-Heinz Karsch: Rochsburg. 1st edn., Schnell & Steiner, Regensburg, 1996,
ISBN 978-3-7954-6006-8
.

External links

50°56′36.71″N 12°45′52.43″E / 50.9435306°N 12.7645639°E / 50.9435306; 12.7645639

[BW-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Rochsburg – Sachsen at www.burgenwelt.de. Retrieved 22 October 2014.

[1]

Authority control databases
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