Travel Notes: Heidelberg Castle, Germany (October 15, 2008)

. The famous Castle Ruins of Heidelberg, Germany (Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/)

Photo taken by Raffy Saldaña on October 15, 2008.

Photo taken by Raffy Saldaña on October 15, 2008.

View from the Heidelberg Castle, Germany. Photo taken on October 15, 2008. From the photo collection of Raffy Saldaña (http://raffysaldana.blogspot.com/)

Note: On October 15, 2008 I visited the famous Castle in Heidelberg, Germany.

Click on the following links to view photos and video clips taken during my visit to the Heidelberg Castle:

http://booleanlogic.multiply.com/photos/album/197/Heidelberg_Castle_Heidelberg_Germany_October_2008

http://booleanlogic.multiply.com/video/item/46/Video_Part_1_Heidelberg_Castle_Germany_October_2008

http://booleanlogic.multiply.com/video/item/47/Video_Part_2_Heidelberg_Castle_Germany_October_2008

.

Excerpts from Wikipedia:

• The Heidelberg Castle (in German language named: Heidelberger Schloss) is a famous ruin in Germany and landmark of Heidelberg. The castle ruins are among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps.


• 
  The castle has only been partially rebuilt since its demolition in the 17th & 18th centuries. It is located 80 m (262 ft) up the northern part of the Königstuhl hillside, and thereby dominates the view of the old downtown. It is served by an intermediate station on the Heidelberger Bergbahn funicular railway that runs from Heidelberg's Kornmarkt to the summit of the Königstuhl.


• 
  The earliest castle structure was built before AD 1214 and later expanded into 2 castles circa 1294; however, in 1537, a lightning-bolt destroyed the upper castle. The present structures had been expanded by 1650, before damage by later wars and fires. In 1764, another lightning-bolt destroyed some rebuilt sections.
  

More information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heidelberg_Castle

.

Travel Notes: The Castle of Auerbach (Bensheim, Germany)

.

Photo captions: Images of the Auerbach Castle in Bensheim, Germany. Photos taken by Raffy Saldaña (http://raffysaldana.blogspot.com) using his cellphone camera (N6500). All rights reserved.

On October 11, 2008 Dr. Kilian Schwartz (my host in Germany) brought me to the castle ruins of Auerbach in Bensheim, Germany.

Below are some facts about the Auerbach Castle:

http://www.schloss-auerbach.de/e_index.cfm/id/d_home

http://www.schloss-auerbach.de/schloss/e_schloss.cfm

http://www.schloss-auerbach.de/schloss/e_fakten.cfm

http://www.schloss-auerbach.de/schloss/e_geschichte.cfm

http://www.schloss-auerbach.de/schloss/e_chronik.cfm

Excerpts:

• In the range of hills along the Bergstraße between Darmstadt and Heidelberg and in visual range of the Melibokus lies Auerbach Castle.
  
  
• From its tower the visitor enjoys sights over the Ried and the Rheinische Tiefebene, a view even to the Pfalz on clear days.


• Castle Auerbach was built in the 13th century as a powerful Fortress on the Urberge by the count of Katzenelnbogen. This towering fort was extensively altered and extended in the 14th century almost to the way it is found today.


• After the deaths of his two sons count Philipp had only his daughter Anna left to inherit. She got married to the count of Hessen the Third. This is how the huge inheritance after the death of count Philipp in 1479 became the property of the Count of Hessen.


• During the reign of the counts of Hessen in Darmstadt the castle was administered by a bailiff or a count of castle.
  
  In 1674, in the imperial war against Ludwig XIV Marshall Turenne moved down the river Rhine against the Netherlands and attacked the region of Bergstraße with his army. In vane the inhabitants of Auerbach, Hochstätten, and Balkhausen sought protection behind the walls of castle Auerbach.
  
  
• Through a subterranean walkway a group a Scottish Highlanders, which were working for the French, succeeded to invade the castle court and devastated the castle and treated the defenders very badly. Afterwards the castle buildings were abandoned and destroyed.
  
  
• In 1820 the northern tower collapsed and was rebuilt 30 years later. From then on the grand duke really took more and more care of the castle.
  


• Since 1903 the Government of Hessen took care of the property and included the castle building in their monument protection program.

Photo Link:

To view photos taken during my visit to the Auerbach Castle, please click on the following link:

http://booleanlogic.multiply.com/photos/album/187/Castle_of_Auerbach_in_Bensheim_Germany

Suggestion: Choose the 'Slideshow' option.

Acknowledgement: I would like to thank Dr. Kilian Schartz and his family for bringing me to the Auerbach Castle.

Cheers,

Raffy