Cave castle
Encyclopedia
A cave castle or grotto castle (German: Grottenburg) is a residential or refuge castle
that has been built into a natural cave
. It falls within the category of hill castles. Unlike other types of castle (such as water castle
s), a cave castle can only be assaulted from the front. The castle gateway is usually located in the middle of a rock face, which makes it much more difficult to penetrate. Archaeological discoveries have revealed that caves were used as places of refuge as early as the Stone Age
. The first medieval cave castles emerged in the 11th and 12th centuries. In the 14th and 15th centuries this type of castle became more widespread, especially in certain parts of France
and Switzerland
.
only four sites are known to date: Altfinstermünz in the Upper Inn valley, Loch near Unter-Pinswang, Lueg am Brenner and a cave castle in the Herrenhauswand near Schwendt/Kössen.
In several regions in Switzerland and France, however, soft rock material provides a good basis for the construction of cave and grotto castles. So, for example, there are considerably more castles of this type in Graubünden
, Ticino
, Valais
or the Dordogne
than, for example, in Bavaria
or the Tyrol
.
The domestic buildings and stables were generally sited in the valley bottom beneath the castle, because the cave was often only accessible over steep and narrow paths. Archaeological excavations have revealed the relatively high standard of living in several cave castles, other sites may only have been inhabited part of the time and guarded mountain passes or important road links.
Most cave castles, for similar reasons, had no bergfried
or other towers. One exception is Loch Castle near Eichhofen in Bavaria, that has an imposing, round bergfried in front of it.
In many cases, the cave
or grotto
was simply sealed by a frontal wall and divided internally by stone or wooden partition walls. Several castles were, however, later turned into representative seats and expanded accordingly, for example Stein Castle
and Predjama Castle
.
From an engineering perspective the cave castle is closely related to the rock castle
; here, too, natural or artificially widened rock openings were incorporated into the structure. In Central Europe, many such rock castles have been preserved in the sandstone regions of south and central Germany or Bohemia, including those in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains
, the Palatinate Forest and in the Haßberge Hills
.
Refuge castle
A refuge castle is a castle-like defensive location, usually surrounded by ramparts, that is not permanently occupied but acts as a temporary retreat for the local population when threatened by war or attack...
that has been built into a natural cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
. It falls within the category of hill castles. Unlike other types of castle (such as water castle
Water castle
A water castle is a castle or stately home whose site is entirely surrounded by moats or natural waterbodies. Topographically water castles are a type of lowland castle.There is a further distinction between:...
s), a cave castle can only be assaulted from the front. The castle gateway is usually located in the middle of a rock face, which makes it much more difficult to penetrate. Archaeological discoveries have revealed that caves were used as places of refuge as early as the Stone Age
Stone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
. The first medieval cave castles emerged in the 11th and 12th centuries. In the 14th and 15th centuries this type of castle became more widespread, especially in certain parts of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Location and layout
The actual cave castle was generally built at the foot of a high rock face and at the level of one or more steep scree slopes. Cave castles are, however, quite rare in mountainous regions, for example in North TyrolNorth Tyrol
North Tyrol, or North Tirol is the main part of the Austrian state of Tyrol, located in the western part of the country. The other part of the state is East Tyrol, which also belongs to Austria, but does not share a border with North Tyrol....
only four sites are known to date: Altfinstermünz in the Upper Inn valley, Loch near Unter-Pinswang, Lueg am Brenner and a cave castle in the Herrenhauswand near Schwendt/Kössen.
In several regions in Switzerland and France, however, soft rock material provides a good basis for the construction of cave and grotto castles. So, for example, there are considerably more castles of this type in Graubünden
Graubünden
Graubünden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein...
, Ticino
Ticino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
, Valais
Valais
The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley...
or the Dordogne
Dordogne
Dordogne is a départment in south-west France. The départment is located in the region of Aquitaine, between the Loire valley and the High Pyrénées named after the great river Dordogne that runs through it...
than, for example, in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
or the Tyrol
Tyrol
Tyrol is an historical region in Western Central Europe. The term has its origin in the former County of Tyrol, and today can be referred to different regions and entities.- Prehistory :...
.
The domestic buildings and stables were generally sited in the valley bottom beneath the castle, because the cave was often only accessible over steep and narrow paths. Archaeological excavations have revealed the relatively high standard of living in several cave castles, other sites may only have been inhabited part of the time and guarded mountain passes or important road links.
Most cave castles, for similar reasons, had no bergfried
Bergfried
A bergfried is a tall tower typically found in medieval castles in German-speaking countries . Its defensive function is to some extent similar to that of a keep or donjon in English or French castles...
or other towers. One exception is Loch Castle near Eichhofen in Bavaria, that has an imposing, round bergfried in front of it.
In many cases, the cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
or grotto
Grotto
A grotto is any type of natural or artificial cave that is associated with modern, historic or prehistoric use by humans. When it is not an artificial garden feature, a grotto is often a small cave near water and often flooded or liable to flood at high tide...
was simply sealed by a frontal wall and divided internally by stone or wooden partition walls. Several castles were, however, later turned into representative seats and expanded accordingly, for example Stein Castle
Stein Castle (Bavaria)
Stein Castle in Stein an der Traun is the most important cave castle in Germany.The castle comprises three elements:* the upper house on the almost 50 metre high steeply sloping nagelfluh rock face;...
and Predjama Castle
Predjama Castle
thumb|right|250px|Predjama CastlePredjama Castle is a Renaissance castle built within a cave mouth in southwestern Slovenia. It is located approximately 11 kilometres from Postojna.-History of the castle:...
.
From an engineering perspective the cave castle is closely related to the rock castle
Rock castle
A rock castle is a type of medieval castle which directly incorporates natural rock formations into its defences to such an extent that the rock formations define the structure of the castle...
; here, too, natural or artificially widened rock openings were incorporated into the structure. In Central Europe, many such rock castles have been preserved in the sandstone regions of south and central Germany or Bohemia, including those in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains
Elbe Sandstone Mountains
The Elbe Sandstone Mountains, also called the Elbe sandstone highlands is a mountain range straddling the border between the state of Saxony in southeastern Germany and the North Bohemian region of the Czech Republic, with about three-quarters of the area lying on the German side...
, the Palatinate Forest and in the Haßberge Hills
Haßberge Hills
The Haßberge Hills are a 512,2 m over zero high hill chain north of the Main River in Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. On the other side of the Main Valley is the Steigerwald....
.
Cave castles and grotto castles
In the technical literature a distinction is made between cave and grotto castles. In the case of the latter, an entire castle was built in front of or within a natural grotto (e.g. Predjama), whilst in the case of a cave castle, the cave was only closed off with a front wall and divided internally by wooden or stone walls. In popular usage, both terms are used more or less interchangeably.Other examples
- Wolkenstein Castle (South Tyrol) in Gröden
- Stein CastleStein Castle (Bavaria)Stein Castle in Stein an der Traun is the most important cave castle in Germany.The castle comprises three elements:* the upper house on the almost 50 metre high steeply sloping nagelfluh rock face;...
in Stein an der Traun, Bavaria - Puxerloch (Höhlenburgen Luegg und Schallaun) near Frojach in the Styria
- Kronmetz Castle
- Luegstein Castle near OberaudorfOberaudorfOberaudorf is a municipality in the district of Rosenheim in Bavaria in Germany.Oberaudorf is the birthplace of German politician Edmund Stoiber and soccer player Bastian Schweinsteiger grew up there.-External links:*...
in Bavaria - Wichenstein Castle near OberrietOberrietOberriet is a municipality in the Wahlkreis of Rheintal in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.-History:Oberriet is first mentioned in 891 as Cobolo. About 1290 it was mentioned as Chobilwalt and in 1417 it was first mentioned as Oberriet.-Geography:Oberriet has an area, , of...
Literature
- Otto Piper: Burgenkunde. Nachdruck der Ausgabe von 1912. Weltbild, Augsburg 1994, ISBN 3-89350-554-7, p. 554–559.
- Maxi Zier: Mittelalterliche Höhlenburgen. In: Basler Zeitschrift für Geschichte und Altertumskunde. No. 65, 1965, , p. 53–62.