Ortenstein

The Ortenstein Castle is a castle in the field of fraction Tumegl / Tomils the community Tomils in Domleschg in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.

The name derives from the location of the Old and Middle High German word, which means as much as the utmost point, edge, tip. He thus characterizes the position of the lock at the extreme edge of a perpendicular to the plane of the Hinterrheins sloping plateau.

History

About the time of construction are no documents. It is believed that the tower in the second quarter of the 13th century was built on episcopal ground. Whether the bishop of Chur even prompted the construction or the barons of Vaz who built it, is uncertain. Anyway, was Ortenstein and Vazer were as episcopal feudatories owner of the castle.

The earliest written mention of the castle dates from the years 1309 and 1312, when the last Vazer Donat Vaz exhibited documents here. After his death in 1338 Ortenstein came along with the other goods in the Domleschg by marriage of his daughter Ursula Vaz to the Counts of Berg -Sargans. Ursula received in 1338 along with Grange and Church set Tomils also Ortenstein by the bishop as a fief. She was often on the castle and erected numerous documents from. Until 1492, the episcopal fiefs were renewed at the Werdenberger often.

A family of Ortenstein appeared in the 14th century. It was a family of vazisch - be bergischen ministeriales that officiated as stewards on Ortenstein. Testifies documented as further bailiffs from 1411 Oswald von Marmels, half Graf Marquard von Werdenberg- Sargan, Conradin Jecklin the Elder, Peter shortcomings of Spliigen, Conrad Jecklin the Younger and 1518-1523 Victor Büchler.

In the Schamserfehde Ortenstein was destroyed in 1451 along with other castles in Bergisch be Domleschg. An arbitration award of July 21, 1452 allowed unlike other castles here the reconstruction Ortenstein that nu is broken into disem war, but could no longer be used against superiors and Gotteshausbund. The system has been greatly changed by the reconstruction.

1455 had the Werdenberger the castle for economic reasons to Peter of Griffensee pledge. 1463 was followed by another pledge to the Counts of Montfort and 1471 at Glarus. After the death of Count Georg von Werdenberg -Sargans 1505 Ortenstein in 1509 episcopal fief of Count Andreas von Sonnenberg, then came to William Turchsess of Waldburg and 1523 by selling to Ludwig Tschudi the Younger of Glarus, a brother of the historian. He sold the castle to the right rule in 1527 to the community Tomils, which they sold in 1528 to Victor by Büchler, the former Vogt places stone.

His daughter, Anna brought Ortenstein into her marriage with James Travers, who was one of the most influential patrician families of the Three Leagues. Until 1846, a branch of the Travers family owned Ortenstein remained. Among them, the major renovations of the 17th century were made.

Due to the economic ruin of the Travers family Ortenstein came into the hands of its creditors, who sold the castle in 1856 to Father Theodosius Florentini. This would set up a children's home and a printing office in the castle similar to the Rhazuns castle, but could not realize the plans because of financial difficulties. In 1850 there were plans for an agricultural school, and she did not come to pass. 1860 stone places for 103,000 francs to the historian Wolfgang von Juvalta was sold. Through an inheritance the facility came in 1893 to the family of Tscharner which Ortenstein still owns today

Plant

Although modern renovations have changed the original character of the castle, the main elements of the plant from the Middle Ages are still recognizable. The complex is dominated by the oldest part of the plant, the seven -story keep in the center with a floor plan approximately 11 × 11 meters and a wall thickness of 1.6 meters. More recent are the vault on the lower floors; in the upper arcades themselves, abortion bay window and window niches have received. The tower is completed by a battlement and a canvas roof. This originally consisted of a slightly Bankrupts construction, so that it could be removed in case of danger. The actual roof, a sloping westward from strong pent roof bar was hung in the tower and attached below the battlements. Originally the tower was surrounded by a trapezoidal Bering, which was built over gradually over the centuries.

About age and sequence of development is no certainty. Many conversions are from the years 1720 bis 1740. At that time, the west wing was extended to Bering, the bell tower was elevated and provided with an onion dome. Also, the east wing was rebuilt and all interior spaces generously equipped. The conversions from 1860 to the historian Wolfgang von Juvalta, the roofs were under the then owner, renewed, transformed partly facades and the dilapidated buildings repaired asked.

The surroundings of the castle was changed greatly over time. On the steep slope occurring in the east of the Garden terraces were created. On the southern foreland, where probably originally stood a bailey with farm buildings, is a garden today.

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