Wegelnburg

View from the High Castle for Wegelnburg.

The Wegelnburg, also called Wegelenburg, is a ruined castle between Schönau and Nothweiler in Rhineland -Palatinate and the highest castle in the Palatinate.

Location

The rock fortress is 570.9 meters above sea level on the castle hill, on the German - French border. On the same ridge enjoys close proximity to the High Castle, the Lion's Arch and the Fleckenstein.

History

The Wegelnburg was founded in the 12th or 13th century as an imperial castle of the Hohenstaufen. In 1282 it was destroyed breach of the peace of the imperial bailiff by the Strasbourg troops, restored to 1330 by the family of Wegelnburg and expanded. Then the castle to the House Electoral Palatinate was pledged. From 1417 to 1793 the castle was owned by the Dukes of Pfalz- Zweibrücken. In 1679 it was destroyed and razed by French troops under General Monclar because of the Peace of Nijmegen. During renovation work from 1979 to 1982 large amounts of debris were removed and the resulting parts rehabilitated.

Description

The upper castle is about 90 times 8 feet tall. The castle is divided into three zones, the lower, middle and upper castle, with only the lower castle on the west side. Preserved and restored, the inner gatehouse. Rock staircases provide access to the upper castle. Preserved are crafted from the rock passages and a rock cellar.

The balustrades on the upper castle do not match the original appearance. There are not too few stone remnants of dwellings, so that the appearance of the castle is difficult to reconstruct.