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 Hundshaupten
Hundshaupten Castle |
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The castle is proved by documents first in 1369. At that time the castle was in the noblemen’s of Wiesenthau possession. Heinrich of Wiesenthau granted the diocese of Bamberg a part of the castle complex in fief. But the fortress was built earlier, probably in the 13th century already. Like almost every castle placed in today’s Fraenkische Schweiz natural park also Hundshaupten castle was constructed on a ledge of the Jurassic plateau high above the valley.
In 1388 and 1412 troops of Nuernberg city conquered and destroyed the fortress twice, because members of the Wiesenthau family were guilty of robbing traders from Nuernberg using the ancient trade route. The destruction of their castle plunged the family of Wiesenthau into enormous financial difficulties. This shortage of money had consequences for the reconstruction of Hundshaupten castle. When the castle was destroyed during the Peasant’s War in1525 the reconstruction only began in 1561 – without the arcades which once decorated the inner courtyard.
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After the death of Ernst von Wiesenthau the Wiesenthau family became extinct. Finally Michelsberg monastery came into possession of Hundshaupten castle.
In Thirty Years’ War Hundshaupten castle was only slightly damaged. The most important break took place on 16th September 1661, when Hieronymus Christoph Baron of Poelnitz on Aschbach acquired the castle from Michelsberg monastery. On 3rd February 1670 the first member of Poelnitz family, which was residing in Hundshaupten castle, and all his descendants were appointed to be free imperial barons and imperial standard-bearers for life by Emperor Leopold I. |
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