HISTORY
Wartburg Castle sits in splendour over the town of Eisenach in Thuringia. It was the first German castle to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, described as an exemplary hilltop castle of the feudal period in central Europe, despite alterations and additions made in later centuries. Wartburg Castle presents an impressive overview of 1,000 years of German history.
According to legend, the castle's origins date back to 1067. The surviving main castle building, the 12th century palas (great hall), a gem of late Romanesque architecture, still bears traces of its former glory. As the main seat of the landgraves, the castle was a pre-eminent centre of artistic endeavour where all of the fine arts were celebrated. It once echoed to the songs of Walther von der Vogelweide and inspired a number of epic poems by Wolfram von Eschenbach. This was the setting of the fabled Battle of the Bards, a tale immortalised in Richard Wagner's opera Tannhäuser. It was an important inspiration for Ludwig II, when he decided to build Neuschwanstein Castle. Wartburg Castle was also the home of Saint Elisabeth of Hungary, still revered to this day, and it provided a refuge for the exiled Martin Luther, who translated the New Testament into German here. The Wartburg Festival of 1817, organised by the student fraternities, celebrated the achievements of Luther, the Reformation and the Battle of Leipzig and the supposed setting for the possibly legendary Sängerkrieg. It was the first popular declaration of sentiment for a unified and independent nation state.
Wartburg Castle was the setting for all of these crucial points in German history – as a mighty fortress and splendid residence and as a place of safety, shelter and retreat for its inhabitants through centuries past. Throughout its history the castle has always remained relevant.
However, the buildings were only renovated and redecorated in the 19th century, when the medieval architecture was restored and supplemented in parts by new additions. The outstanding example illustrating the concept of art in the 19th century is without doubt the ceremonial hall in the main castle building (palas), which now provides an amazing backdrop for the famous Wartburg concerts during the summer season as well as a number of other events.
The largest structure of the Wartburg is the Palas, originally built in late Romanesque style between 1157 and 1170. It is considered the best-preserved non-ecclesial Romanesque building north of the Alps.
The Palas features rooms like the Rittersaal and the Speisesaal which have been reconstructed as closely as possible to the original Romanesque style and which contain original structures (pillars or roof elements). However, many of the rooms mostly reflect the tastes of the 19th and 20th centuries and the image of the Middle Ages prevalent at the time: the Elisabeth-Kemenate was fitted with mosaics showing the life of St. Elisabeth (created in 1902-06) on behalf of Kaiser Wilhelm II, the Sängersaal (with frescoes of the Sängerkrieg by Moritz von Schwind) and the Festssaal on the top floor. The latter also features frescoes by Schwind (on the triumph of Christianity) and served as the inspiration for the Sängerhalle at Neuschwanstein Castle. The Wartburg's Sängersaal is the setting for Act II of Tannhäuser. None of the wallpaintings, including those in the Landgrafenzimmer or the Elisabethengalerie, are actually medieval in origin, but were created in the 19th century.[
CURRENT SITUATION
The Wartburg Castle art collection with its treasures spanning eight centuries was created at the recommendation of Goethe nearly 200 years ago.
On a guided tour of the castle's rooms or a visit to the museum – with its famous paintings by Lucas Cranach, priceless tapestries and furniture, Tilman Riemenschneider sculptures and Renaissance arts and crafts – you are surrounded at every step by history, culture and the arts.
The many events, from the Summer Nights festival to theatre and the historical Christmas market, attract visitors from around the world and bring the ancient walls to life.
Wartburg is a popular tourist destination, the most-visited site in Thuringia after Weimar. It is accessible to visitors and guided tours offer access to the interior of the buildings. In addition, there is a museum in the castle. Children can ride donkeys up the hill. The Festsaal is used regularly for staging the opera Tannhäuser, as well as concerts and other events. There is also a hotel, located right next to the castle, originally built during the castle's reconstruction in the 19th century.
Bill Clinton, 42nd president of the United States of America, visited the Wartburg castle, as well as the Bach House, on May 14, 1998 during his state visit to Germany.
