Augustus Castle
| Place: | Augustusburg (Augustusburg, Central Saxony) |
|---|---|
| Type: | Weirs/fortifications |
| Dating: | High Middle Ages | Late Middle Ages | Modern Times | since 1200 AD. |
Description
Augustusburg Castle rises on the Schellenberg above the town of the same name. Until it was renamed in 1899, the village was also called Schellenberg. It was first mentioned in a document in 1206. It was the ancestral seat of the von Schellenberg imperial ministers, who lived here in the 13th century. Century built their castle on the mountain. The complex later fell into the hands of the Wettin dynasty. In 1553, it finally came into the possession of Elector Augustus of Saxony, who decided to raze the Schellenburg, which had been badly destroyed by fire during the Schmalkaldic War. He had a Renaissance-style hunting lodge built in its place. Around 1800, the castle was redesigned in the neoclassical style in line with contemporary taste. Today the complex is used as a museum.
Ronald Heynowski/Annemarie ReckTopography
The high medieval Schellenburg castle was built on a prominent and steeply rising hill, which towers above the surrounding terrain at a height of 515 m above sea level. The mountain is a central landmark in the Central Ore Mountains and is visible from afar. It is not for nothing that Augustusburg Castle, which today sits atop the Schellenberg, is nicknamed "the crown of the Ore Mountains".
Ronald Heynowski/Annemarie ReckImage Source R. Heynowski, Foto ©LfA 2021.
Schellenburg
One of the oldest parts of Schellenburg Castle was the keep, which had walls 3.5 meters thick and a total diameter of 9 meters. A curtain wall enclosed the castle grounds. In the course of the 13th century, the von Schellenbergs attempted to expand their domain, which brought them into conflict with the Altzella monastery and the Wettin dynasty. A judicial solution was initially found in 1293, but the disputes flared up again at the beginning of the 14th century. As a result, Heinrich von Schellenberg was banned from the church and banned from the realm. In 1323, the rule of the Schellenbergs was effectively dissolved.
Ronald Heynowski/Annemarie ReckImage Source OA 35020/17, Foto 1960er-Jahre ©LfA 2024.
First conversions
Subsequently, the castle was passed into various hands as a fief or pledge until it finally became part of the Wettin domain in the 14th century. The Wettin dynasty initiated extensive renovations and extensions, some of which were accompanied by the demolition of the older buildings. In the course of this, an enclosure was created with extensive outlying buildings along the walls.
Ronald Heynowski/Annemarie ReckImage Source R. Heynowski, Foto ©LfA 2013.
Augustusburg Hunting Lodge
As a result of the Schmalkaldic War, Schellenburg Castle was severely damaged by fire. In 1553, Elector Augustus of Saxony, who had come into possession of the castle in the meantime, decided to demolish it and build a Renaissance-style hunting lodge on the levelled area. The basic concept probably came from the Electoral Saxon master builder Hans Irmisch, but was long attributed to the Leipzig architect Hieronymus Lotter.
Ronald Heynowski/Annemarie ReckImage Source O. Braasch, Foto ©LfA 1993.
Literature
Ronald Heynowski, Augustusburg – Stammsitz der Schellenberger. In: Regina Smolnik/Ronny Zienert (Hrsg.), Höhenflüge. Luftbilder und Archäologie in Sachsen (Dresden 2024) 164–165.
Schellenberg – Augustusburg. Beiträge zur 800-jährigen Geschichte (Marienberg 2006).
Note on monument protection
Archaeological monuments are protected by the Saxon Monument Protection Act. A permit under monument law is required for ground interventions or construction measures.
Permalink
https://archaeo-sn.de/en/ort/augustus-castle/
Citation
Ronald Heynowski/Annemarie Reck, Augustus Castle. In: Landesamt für Archäologie Sachsen, Website archaeo | SN (01.08.2024). https://archaeo-sn.de/en/ort/augustus-castle/ (Stand: 20.05.2025)
