Rieneck Castle

Rieneck Castle (German: Burg Rieneck) is a hill castle located in the town of Rieneck, in Bavaria, southern Germany. It was built by Ludwig I, Count of Loon and Rieneck, around the year 1150. It is today used by the German Christian Guide and Scout Association.

For Rheineck Castle in Rhineland-Palatinate, see Bad Breisig.
Rieneck Castle
Burg Rieneck
Rieneck Castle
General information
Typehill castle
Town or cityRieneck
CountryGermany
Coordinates50.094°N 9.646°E / 50.094; 9.646
Construction startedca. 1150
OwnerVerband Christlicher Pfadfinderinnen und Pfadfinder
A view from inside Rieneck Castle

Geography

Rieneck Castle sits on a hill in the town of Rieneck, overlooking the Sinn river. It is located in the Spessart hills, in the Main-Spessart district of Bavaria, about 80 km east of Frankfurt.

History

In 1150 Ludwig I, Count of Loon and Rieneck, ordered the building of the castrum Rinecke on the northeastern boundary of his territory, with the aim of safeguarding the lands of this aristocratic family against the neighbouring lordships of Mainz, Würzburg and Fulda.[1] The little hill in the Sinn valley offered excellent conditions: there was only one direction where the castle required additional protection by a defensive ditch, and offered as narrow a front as possible to attack. The latter can be clearly seen in the ground plan of the keep, the 19-metre high "Thick Tower", which is outwardly an irregular, seven-sided polygon, whose tip points towards the nearby hill. The castle complex initially consisted simply of a courtyard surrounded by defensive walls, and the keep, with its 4 to 8-metre thick walls. Inside the walls half-timbered buildings were constructed as living quarters, store rooms, and stables. Of these only what we now know as the "arched cellar" survives.

Today

The castle today serves as a scouting facility and is owned by the German Christian Guide and Scout Association, VCP. The castle's programme includes scouting activities such as arts and crafts, pioneering and Medieval trades and offers accommodation and a campsite.

In March, April and May 2020, it was reported that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in Bavaria, the castle's continued operation as a scout facility, was under financial threat, with bookings, beginning at in early June,[2] curtailed until December.[3][4][5][6][7]

See also
  • Scouting in Germany

References
  1. "History - Burg Rieneck". www.burg-rieneck.de. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  2. "Pfingstferien: Was geht, was geht nicht in Unterfranken?" [Whit Weekend: What's Going On, What's Not Going On in Lower Franconia?]. BR.de (in German). Archived from the original on 2020-05-29.
  3. Pleier, Roland (2020-03-20). "Corona: Herbergen in Main-Spessart so gut wie dicht" [Corona: Hostels in Main-Spessart practically dense]. Main Post (in German). Archived from the original on 22 March 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  4. Schröder, Susanne. "Die Verlängerung der Corona-Restriktionen treibt kirchliche Tagungsstätten in der Krise" [The Extension of the Corona Restrictions Drives Church Conference Venues into crisis]. Sontags Blatt (in German). Archived from the original on 2020-05-16. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  5. Sommerkorn, Uli (3 May 2020). "Die Zukunft der Herberge auf Burg Rieneck ist bedroht" [The Future of the Rieneck Castle Hostel is in Doubt]. Mainpost.de (in German). Archived from the original on 16 May 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  6. "Unterstützung für die Jugendherberge Burg Rieneck". 20 May 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-06-04.
  7. Heilgenthal, Philipp (2 June 2020). "Finanzielle Hilfen für Jugendherbergen" [Financial Help for Youth Hostels] (in German). Retrieved 8 June 2020.

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