Another castle on the Bergstrasse that hosts medieval events and makes for an enjoyable family outing is Alsbach Castle, which lies on a 256 meter high ridge below the Melibokus summit above the town of Alsbach.
History
Alsbach Castle was a siege castle built around 1235 by Gottfried I von Bickenbach and called Bickenbach Castle. The Bickenbachs were a minor noble family from the Odenwald. This more-substantial structure was probably the successor to an earlier motte and bailey castle located on nearby Weiler Hill and was built to protect the family’s territorial interests after Lorsch Abbey became a subordinate of the Archbishopric of Mainz.
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| The Bickenbach Coat of Arms |
The castle was in the hands of the Bickenbach family until the 14th century when the castle’s ownership was divided amongst six different owners, resulting in it becoming a Ganerbenburg. This word, which means a castle that is communally owned, is not usually translated from German as there is no English equivalent.
In 1463, the free city of Frankfurt, in retaliation for a robbery committed against one of the communal owners, overran the castle, plundered it and burnt it to the ground. It was quickly rebuilt, and soon after, in 1488, one of the owners, Erasmus of Erbach set about buying out the other owners, and by 1502, was in possession of ⅚ of the titles of ownership. During the War of Succession of Landshut ( an inheritance dispute between the lines of Bavaria - Munich and Bavaria-Landshut) the Landgrave of Hessen, Wilhelm I, took the castle in 1504 without a fight, and it remained, thereafter, in Hessen hands.
During the Thirty Years War (1618 - 1648), the castle was used by the local population as a place of refuge, though afterwards it was abandoned, fell into disrepair and was used as a source of building stones for other structures. It was not until the end of the 19th century that the Grand Duke of Hesse-Darmstadt secured the ruins, and after World War II, restoration began in earnest. The castle was then renamed Alsbacher Schloss.
Today, the castle is maintained by the association, Historischer und kultureller Förderverein Schloss Alsbach e. V., and offers a variety of events events including medieval festivals, wine festivals, arts and crafts markets and historical presentations.
Castle Layout
In the first phase of construction, the inner bailey was created by an impressive Bergfried,
19.3 meters high and 11 meters in diameter, the ring wall and a wide and deep dry moat to the south. In the 14th century, the complex was extended by a quadrangular outer bailey and a defensive courtyard around the entire castle, which was reinforced by two flanking, rounded watchtowers on the southeast and southwest sides of the wall. Access to the outer bailey was protected by a moat, a drawbridge and a gate tower with an external and internal gate. If an attacker had succeeded in opening the outer gate and penetrating into the gate hall, he could be pushed back by pouring boiling pitch or water through openings in the ceiling. If he managed to get through the inner gate, he would then be exposed to those defending the ring wall. The entrance to the inner bailey was also protected by a gate, arrow slits, a murder hole and drawbridge.
In the first phase of construction, the inner bailey was created by an impressive Bergfried,
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| Historical Reconstruction of Castle |
Today, it’s not so difficult to access Alsbach Castle. Visitors are invited to tour the castle complex, refresh themselves at the castle restaurant and enjoy one of the many events hosted at the site during seasons of temperate weather. Alsbach Castle is well-known for the many events held there, including the arts and crafts market on Whitsun, complete with knights, jugglers, artisans and craftsmen. Other popular events are the children's knight festival and the castle’s wine festival.
Address:
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Zum Schloss, 64665 Alsbach
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Opening Times:
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Restaurant and Castle Complex
Summer (May to September): Wednesdays to Sundays and on holidays from 11:00 am to at least 21:00 hours
Winter (from October to April): Wednesdays to Sundays from 11:00 am until at least 19:00 hours.
Monday and Tuesday are rest days.
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Fee:
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Free, donations are requested when viewing the tower
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Getting There:
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Tram stop at Hinkelstein, line 6 and 8 (about 30 minutes walk to the castle).
Motorway A5, exit Seeheim-Jugenheim to Alsbach, turn left at the roundabout, Bahnhofstraße, then on to Kirchstraße, follow the signs to the castle. Motorway A67, exit Gernsheim - Hähnlein - Alsbach, just above the two roundabouts, take Bahnhofstraße, then Kirchstrasse, follow the signs to the castle. Address for Navigation Systems: 64665 Alsbach-Hähnlein, zum Schloss (Kirchstraße) |
Thank you for the comprehensive research and explanation. There still seems some ambiguity as to when the noble family of Bickenbach left the castle, under what circumstances. I know they had a court in Boppard until the late middle ages, for example, but any advice where to obtain more information on the family would be very much appreciated. Best wishes.
ReplyDeleteNicholas Brookland/formerly Beckenbach,possibly Bickenbach.