Burg Scharfenstein: A Medieval Border Castle near Kiedrich
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.6
- Popularity
- Low
- Country
- Germany
- Primary era
- Medieval
- Eras represented
- Medieval
- Civilizations
- Holy Roman Empire
- Site type
- Military
- Remains
- Castle
On this page5 sections
History
Foundation and Archiepiscopal Use
Burg Scharfenstein is a ruined medieval spur castle near Kiedrich in Hesse, Germany, built around 1160 as part of the Archbishopric of Mainz’s border fortifications. It guarded the road from Eltville toward the Taunus and stood on a mountain spur above the route between Kiedrich and Hausen vor der Höhe.
The castle was established as a territorial stronghold under Christian I of Buch, the medieval archbishop of Mainz responsible for its foundation. Resident castle guards occupied Scharfenstein from 1191. These military retainers, known as Burgmannen, defended and administered the castle for its lord, and those associated with Scharfenstein later adopted the name “von Scharfenstein.” The Kratz von Scharfenstein family became the best-known lineage connected with the castle.
During the thirteenth century, Scharfenstein served several times as an archiepiscopal residence. Its position therefore supported both the territorial defense of Mainz’s lands and the administration of the surrounding area.
Decline and Ruin
Scharfenstein lost importance after a castle was built at Eltville and the Rheingau Gebück was established. This defensive boundary, formed chiefly from densely planted and interwoven beech trees, restricted movement across the frontier. The castle’s decline began by the sixteenth century, and its stone was reused for other purposes, including walls along the vineyards.
The castle became uninhabitable from 1686. The remaining buildings, apart from the surviving keep and its associated underground prison, were removed in 1962. The keep was renovated in 2008 and 2009. Burg Scharfenstein is protected as a cultural heritage monument in Hesse.
Remains
Keep and Castle Spur
The former core castle occupies a 230-metre-high mountain spur. Its surviving round bergfried, the principal defensive tower of a medieval German castle, is about 30 metres high and has a basal diameter of 9 metres. It remains a substantial and well-preserved part of the otherwise ruined castle.
A dungeon occupies the lower part of the keep. The high entrance stands 7.60 metres above ground level and was originally reached by a drawbridge or ladder. A modern external metal staircase now provides access. Within the keep, stone stairways pass through three levels of walls approximately 3 metres thick and lead to the former defensive platform, which now serves as a viewing platform. The area around the keep offers a broad view over the Rheingau vineyards.
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