5/5 Spiros S. 1 year ago on Google
Welcome
to
Wartburg
Castle!
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.
Wartburg
Castle
was
also
the
home
of
Saint
Elisabeth,
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.
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
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.
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