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Founded: c. 1037Category: Castles and fortifications in Germany
Historical period: Salian Dynasty (Germany)
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Hohentübingen Castle rises above the city atop of the 372m high Spitzberg hill. The castle is a mighty renaissance construction with four wings and a round tower. First mention of a castle on this site dates back to 1078, referring to the former medieval castle. The rulers of Tübingen, who were promoted to Counts Palatine in the 12th century, lived in the castle until 1342 when they sold it to the Counts of Württemberg.
Hohentübingen Castle’s importance as the residence of the Dukes of Württemberg began to diminish in the 16th century. Beginning in the mid-18th century, the university acquired its first rooms in the castle and in 1816 the King of Würrtemberg, Wilhelm I, transferred ownership of the castle to the university. The university library of nearly 60,000 bands was temporarily housed in the hall of knights, a chemistry laboratory was set up in the kitchen, and an astronomical observatory was housed in the northeast tower.
After thorough renovation of the castle from 1979 – 1994, the rooms of the castle were made available to the Cultural Studies and Archeology Departments of the Eberhard-Karls-University. Current displays of the collections of these departments can be found in the east and north wings, as well as in the pentagon-tower of the Museum of the Hohentübingen Castle. Behind the fountain at the back of the courtyard, a tunnel leads through the west wing of the castle to the Schänzle (little entrenchment). Between the tunnel and the next doorway you will be able to look down upon the western castle moats, the so called „rabbit hole“.
The museum consists of a permanent exhibitionm which includes the collections of pre- and early history, classical Archeology, Egyptology, Ancient Orientalism, Numismatics, Ethnology as well as the Replica Collection (replicas of famous Greek and Roman sculptures). The work of the different institutes is documented on the basis of important findings and results of latest research and shown in special exhibitions.
References:Rosenborg Palace was built in the period 1606-34 as Christian IV’s summerhouse just outside the ramparts of Copenhagen. Christian IV was very fond of the palace and often stayed at the castle when he resided in Copenhagen, and it was here that he died in 1648. After his death, the palace passed to his son King Frederik III, who together with his queen, Sophie Amalie, carried out several types of modernisation.
The last king who used the place as a residence was Frederik IV, and around 1720, Rosenborg was abandoned in favor of Frederiksborg Palace.Through the 1700s, considerable art treasures were collected at Rosenborg Castle, among other things items from the estates of deceased royalty and from Christiansborg after the fire there in 1794.
Soon the idea of a museum arose, and that was realised in 1833, which is The Royal Danish Collection’s official year of establishment.