Rötteln Castle
Encyclopedia
Rötteln Castle located above the Lörrach
suburb of Haagen, lies in the extreme southwest corner of the German state of Baden-Württemberg
. The fortification was one of the most powerful in the southwest, and today is the third largest castle ruin in Baden
.
The ruins of the castle are situated on a widely visible forested hill 422 metres (1,385 ft) above sea level. The keep lies on a spur
projecting from the steep sided east side of the lower Wiese
valley.
The castle has probably existed since the beginning of the 11th century. In the year 1102 is the first documented mention of a lord of Rötteln
, one Dietrich von Rötteln, the bailiff
of St. Albans near Basel
. This year is also considered the date of the founding of the city of Lörrach. In 1204 Dietrich III of Rötteln died, having amassed a large holding in the Wiese valley. His sons held high offices; Walter I was the Kapitular (a priest who is authorized to say the mass
in a cathedral
and perform other duties of a bishop
) of Konstanz
and Basel
, Luithold I was the bishop of Basel, Konrad I was the founder of the city of Schopfheim
, which was important to the later formation of the Markgräflerland
. The first documented mention of the castle
itself is from the year 1259.
Luithold II von Rötteln, the last male of his line, gave the lordship of Rötteln to the Margrave
Rudolf I of Hachberg-Sausenberg and his heiress Agnes von Rötteln in the year 1311. As a result, the Margrave of Hachberg-Sausenberg, based in Emmendingen
at Hochburg Castle
, also became lord of the former domain of Rötteln
. The Margrave then moved from Sausenburg to Rötteln Castle to more easily administer his new domain and appointed a bailiff
to oversee Sausenburg
Luithold II von Rötteln died on May 19, 1316, and the passing of Rötteln to Hachberg-Sausenburg was an important step in the eventual formation of the Markgräflerland
. In 1332 the castle was besieged
by the people of Basel because the Margrave Rudolf II stabbed the mayor of Basel during an argument. The conflict was resolved at the last moment through an agreement to settle the argument. Arrowheads, crossbow
bolts, and other finds near the castle attest to this siege.
The Basel earthquake
of 1356 destroyed large portions of the city, and the castle suffered severe damage.
In 1444 the domain of Badenweiler
passed from the last Count Johann von Freiburg
to the son of Margrave Wilhelm, Rudolf IV von Hachberg-Sausenberg. The combination of the three dominions, Rötteln, Sausenburg, and Badenweiler formed the foundation of the Markgräflerland.
In 1503 the castle came into the possession of the Margrave of Baden
. In 1525 revolting farmers briefly took possession of the castle.
From 1618 to 1648 during the Thirty Years War the castle was occupied by both Swedish
and Imperial
forces.
During the Franco-Dutch War
, on June 29, 1678, the castles of Rötteln, Sausenburg, and Badenweiler
were destroyed by the army of the French Marshall Crecque. Due to the extreme poverty after the war, the castle ruins were thereafter used as a source of building stone.
The Black Forest Society of Baden(Schwarzwaldverein
) began to survey the ruins in 1884 in order to preserve it. Since 1925 this has been the concern of the Röttelnbund e.V. club based in Lörrach-Haagen. Today the ruins have been restored to approximately their condition after their destruction in 1678
-like point extends for the placement of light artillery. Passage from the fore-castle to the upper castle is by means of a drawbridge. The upper castle with its powerful keep is the oldest part of the castle. Archaeological finds from the castle and grounds are on display in the museum in the courtyard of the castle.
The "Green Tower", at the highest point of the keep, offers a particularly fine view of Lörrach, the Wiese valley and several Swiss mountain peaks. The castle ruins are the most notable landmark of the border town. The Röttler Burgfestspiele, an open air live theater in the castle courtyard, has operated annually each summer since 1968.
The lower castle is open year round and the keep and museum are open in the summer and on weekends in the winter. Tours are available with prior reservations. In addition to the small museum, there is a Burgschänke or traditional restaurant / pub in the bailey.
The oldest surviving depiction of Rötteln castle is an illustration from Sebastian Münster
's Cosmographia
from the year 1562. Another well known contemporary illustration by Matthäus Merian
shows the castle in 1644.
Lörrach
Lörrach is a city in southwest Germany, in the valley of the Wiese, close to the French and the Swiss border. It is the capital of the district of Lörrach in Baden-Württemberg. The biggest industry is the chocolate factory Milka...
suburb of Haagen, lies in the extreme southwest corner of the German state of Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
. The fortification was one of the most powerful in the southwest, and today is the third largest castle ruin in Baden
Baden
Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
.
The ruins of the castle are situated on a widely visible forested hill 422 metres (1,385 ft) above sea level. The keep lies on a spur
Spur (mountain)
A spur is a subsidiary summit of a hill or mountain. By definition, spurs have low topographic prominence, as they are lower than their parent summit and are closely connected to them on the same ridgeline...
projecting from the steep sided east side of the lower Wiese
Wiese
The Wiese is a river in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, and Basel-City, Switzerland, a right tributary of the Rhine. It rises in the Black Forest, on the Feldberg. The Wiese flows through Todtnau, Schönau im Schwarzwald, Schopfheim and Lörrach...
valley.
History
Rötteln
Rötteln is a village beneath the ruins of the Rötteln Castle in Southern Baden, which today is part of the district of Haagen in the city of Lörrach, Baden-Württemberg.- History :...
, one Dietrich von Rötteln, the bailiff
Vogt
A Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
of St. Albans near Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
. This year is also considered the date of the founding of the city of Lörrach. In 1204 Dietrich III of Rötteln died, having amassed a large holding in the Wiese valley. His sons held high offices; Walter I was the Kapitular (a priest who is authorized to say the mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
in a cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
and perform other duties of a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
) of Konstanz
Konstanz
Konstanz is a university city with approximately 80,000 inhabitants located at the western end of Lake Constance in the south-west corner of Germany, bordering Switzerland. The city houses the University of Konstanz.-Location:...
and Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, Luithold I was the bishop of Basel, Konrad I was the founder of the city of Schopfheim
Schopfheim
Schopfheim is a town in the district of Lörrach in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated on the river Wiese, 10 km north of Rheinfelden, and 13 km east of Lörrach.The town is the birthplace of Gisela Oeri....
, which was important to the later formation of the Markgräflerland
Markgräflerland
Markgräflerland is a region in the southwest of Germany, in the south of the German federal state of Baden-Württemberg, located between the Breisgau in the north and the Black Forest in the east.-History and geography:...
. The first documented mention of the castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
itself is from the year 1259.
Luithold II von Rötteln, the last male of his line, gave the lordship of Rötteln to the Margrave
Margrave
A margrave or margravine was a medieval hereditary nobleman with military responsibilities in a border province of a kingdom. Border provinces usually had more exposure to military incursions from the outside, compared to interior provinces, and thus a margrave usually had larger and more active...
Rudolf I of Hachberg-Sausenberg and his heiress Agnes von Rötteln in the year 1311. As a result, the Margrave of Hachberg-Sausenberg, based in Emmendingen
Emmendingen
Emmendingen is a town in Baden-Württemberg, capital of the district Emmendingen of Germany. It is located at the Elz River, north of Freiburg im Breisgau...
at Hochburg Castle
Hochburg
The Hochburg is a castle near Emmendingen in southwest Germany.-Brief history:* 11th century — founded probably by Dietrich von Hachberg* 1127 — first mentioned in an official document...
, also became lord of the former domain of Rötteln
Rötteln
Rötteln is a village beneath the ruins of the Rötteln Castle in Southern Baden, which today is part of the district of Haagen in the city of Lörrach, Baden-Württemberg.- History :...
. The Margrave then moved from Sausenburg to Rötteln Castle to more easily administer his new domain and appointed a bailiff
Vogt
A Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
to oversee Sausenburg
Luithold II von Rötteln died on May 19, 1316, and the passing of Rötteln to Hachberg-Sausenburg was an important step in the eventual formation of the Markgräflerland
Markgräflerland
Markgräflerland is a region in the southwest of Germany, in the south of the German federal state of Baden-Württemberg, located between the Breisgau in the north and the Black Forest in the east.-History and geography:...
. In 1332 the castle was besieged
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
by the people of Basel because the Margrave Rudolf II stabbed the mayor of Basel during an argument. The conflict was resolved at the last moment through an agreement to settle the argument. Arrowheads, crossbow
Crossbow
A crossbow is a weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles, often called bolts or quarrels. The medieval crossbow was called by many names, most of which derived from the word ballista, a torsion engine resembling a crossbow in appearance.Historically, crossbows played a...
bolts, and other finds near the castle attest to this siege.
The Basel earthquake
1356 Basel earthquake
The Basel earthquake of 18 October 1356 is the most significant seismological event to have occurred in Central Europe in recorded history and may have had a Mw magnitude as strong as 7.1....
of 1356 destroyed large portions of the city, and the castle suffered severe damage.
In 1444 the domain of Badenweiler
Badenweiler
Badenweiler, a health resort and spa of the Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, historically in the Markgräflerland. It is 28 kilometers by road and rail from Basel, 10 kilometers from the French border, and 20 kilometers away from Mulhouse...
passed from the last Count Johann von Freiburg
Freiburg
Freiburg im Breisgau is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In the extreme south-west of the country, it straddles the Dreisam river, at the foot of the Schlossberg. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Breisgau region on the western edge of the Black Forest in the Upper Rhine Plain...
to the son of Margrave Wilhelm, Rudolf IV von Hachberg-Sausenberg. The combination of the three dominions, Rötteln, Sausenburg, and Badenweiler formed the foundation of the Markgräflerland.
In 1503 the castle came into the possession of the Margrave of Baden
Baden
Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
. In 1525 revolting farmers briefly took possession of the castle.
From 1618 to 1648 during the Thirty Years War the castle was occupied by both Swedish
Swedish Empire
The Swedish Empire refers to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721 . During this time, Sweden was one of the great European powers. In Swedish, the period is called Stormaktstiden, literally meaning "the Great Power Era"...
and Imperial
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
forces.
During the Franco-Dutch War
Franco-Dutch War
The Franco-Dutch War, often called simply the Dutch War was a war fought by France, Sweden, the Bishopric of Münster, the Archbishopric of Cologne and England against the United Netherlands, which were later joined by the Austrian Habsburg lands, Brandenburg and Spain to form a quadruple alliance...
, on June 29, 1678, the castles of Rötteln, Sausenburg, and Badenweiler
Badenweiler
Badenweiler, a health resort and spa of the Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, historically in the Markgräflerland. It is 28 kilometers by road and rail from Basel, 10 kilometers from the French border, and 20 kilometers away from Mulhouse...
were destroyed by the army of the French Marshall Crecque. Due to the extreme poverty after the war, the castle ruins were thereafter used as a source of building stone.
The Black Forest Society of Baden(Schwarzwaldverein
Schwarzwaldverein
The Schwarzwaldverein, or Black Forest Association, was founded in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany in 1864, making it the oldest German hiking and mountaineering club. The Schwarzwaldverein has almost 90,000 members in 241 local chapters...
) began to survey the ruins in 1884 in order to preserve it. Since 1925 this has been the concern of the Röttelnbund e.V. club based in Lörrach-Haagen. Today the ruins have been restored to approximately their condition after their destruction in 1678
Location
The site of the castle extends from northwest to southwest over a distance of almost 300 meters. The widely spread castle can be roughly divided into the fore-castle and upper castle. To the west a bastionBastion
A bastion, or a bulwark, is a structure projecting outward from the main enclosure of a fortification, situated in both corners of a straight wall , facilitating active defence against assaulting troops...
-like point extends for the placement of light artillery. Passage from the fore-castle to the upper castle is by means of a drawbridge. The upper castle with its powerful keep is the oldest part of the castle. Archaeological finds from the castle and grounds are on display in the museum in the courtyard of the castle.
The "Green Tower", at the highest point of the keep, offers a particularly fine view of Lörrach, the Wiese valley and several Swiss mountain peaks. The castle ruins are the most notable landmark of the border town. The Röttler Burgfestspiele, an open air live theater in the castle courtyard, has operated annually each summer since 1968.
The lower castle is open year round and the keep and museum are open in the summer and on weekends in the winter. Tours are available with prior reservations. In addition to the small museum, there is a Burgschänke or traditional restaurant / pub in the bailey.
The oldest surviving depiction of Rötteln castle is an illustration from Sebastian Münster
Sebastian Münster
Sebastian Münster , was a German cartographer, cosmographer, and a Hebrew scholar.- Life :Münster was born at Ingelheim near Mainz, the son of Andreas Munster. He completed his studies at the Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen in 1518. His graduate adviser was Johannes Stöffler.He was appointed to...
's Cosmographia
Cosmographia (Sebastian Münster)
The Cosmographia by Sebastian Münster from 1544 is the earliest German description of the world. It had numerous editions in different languages including Latin, French , Italian, English, and even Czech. The last German edition was published in 1628, long after his death...
from the year 1562. Another well known contemporary illustration by Matthäus Merian
Matthäus Merian
Matthäus Merian der Ältere was a Swiss-born engraver who worked in Frankfurt for most of his career, where he also ran a publishing house.-Early life and marriage:...
shows the castle in 1644.