Lichtenberg Castle

History of Burg Lichtenberg

When they began with the construction of the castle of Lichtenberg, no one knows for sure when that was. It is certain that already there was a small fortress on the Lichtenberg, when Frederick II an action of the nearby monastery Remigiusberg and decreed that the castle was tearing again , because it was built on the land of the monastery without permission. The former owner of the castle, the Counts of Veldenz , this arrangement, however, did not come by and so the construction of today's lower castle was continued. Around the year 1270 they built on the higher ridge of the mountain light a second castle, today's top castle. Between 1300 and 1450 the smaller upper castle was enlarged considerably, it received during this period the East and the West Pales, a moat was dug, and the entire defense system in the east, the single wing for enemies strengthened.

In the course of time and the upper castle were finally connected together by walls. The terrain between the castles was first used as a garden, but had to give way gradually the houses of the castle residents. In the 18th Century originated in this region the Tithe Barn (1738) and the church ( 1755-1758 ) .

During the whole time the fortifications in the east of the castle was reinforced by a second trench , and by towers and walls on. So the mighty Horseshoe tower was at the beginning of the Thirty Years War, when the Spanish troops were advancing , built in just 40 days. With its 4.50 m thick walls and the funnel-shaped loopholes he had already built for the defense with cannons and muskets , which made him the most "modern " tower of the castle.

Although the castle was never conquered by enemies. A fire in 1799 turned the castle into a ruin.

After 1792 troops of the French revolutionary army occupied the area , the castle was declared a national property of the French and auctioned some of the houses and ruins to abort. Because these ready -hewn stones were cheap building materials for the people of the area. Gradually arose among the ruins a small village with at times up to 100 residents. Only under Prussian administration (1834-1945) the castle in 1895 was declared a National Monument and started to rebuild

Today the castle is a worthwhile destination and a place of meeting . In addition to the Musikantenland Museum and the Natural History Museum in August 1998, another museum opened up, the Geoscope . This modern building allows the visitor an impressive insight into the era Permian - Carboniferous.

Opening hours of museums of Lichtenberg Castle