Harburg Castle


Harburg Castle in Harburg, Bavaria, in the Donau-Ries district, is an extensive mediaeval complex from the 11th / 12th century. Originally it was a Staufer castle, now it is owned by the princely House of Oettingen-Wallerstein.

History

The first record of the castle is dated 1150, when the Staufer Henry Berengar wrote a letter to his aunt Bertha of Sulzbach, Empress of Byzantine. But it is very likely that Harburg Castle was built in the 11th century, because at the end of this century Cuno de Horeburc, a noble man, was well known.
In 1530 the historian Hieronymus Wolf was a clerk at Harburg Castle.

Architecture

This hill castle is a completely preserved facility with a remarkable building complex from the Middle Ages. In the 15th century the fortress was extended with residential buildings. From the 16th to the 18th century further extensions completed a prince's residence.
Pretty unique is the particularly well-preserved, late-medieval ring wall with defensive corridor.