page_title: Bischofstein Castle (Germany)
section_title: 1270 to 1824
hierarchical_section_title: Bischofstein Castle (Germany) / History / 1270 to 1824
context_page_description: Bischofstein Castle is a castle on the Moselle in Germany. The castle sits between Moselkern and Hatzenport and across from the borough of Burgen. It was a stronghold belonging to the Archbishops of Treves. A characteristic attribute of the castle are its tall cylindrical donjon tower girt round with a white plaster streak about halfway up and the ruined chapel adjoining it.
  The castle was built in 1270, destroyed in 1689 and rebuilt again in 1930. It was purchased in 1954 by Fichte Gymnasium in Krefeld, Germany and currently serves as the school's retreat center.
context_section_description: Burg Bischofstein was probably built in 1270. Archbishop Arnold II. von Isenburg is often cited as the builder, but this is doubtful, as he was appointed Archbishop in 1242. By this time, Archdeacon of Trier Heinrich von Bolanden, who is documented as completing the construction of Burg Bischofstein. This comes from a document dated June 10, 1242 in which von Bolanden promised to replace the Monasteries of Laach and Rumerdorf Schulden. This document was approved by Pope Innocent IV himself on October 29, 1246.
  The original builders are unknown. It is known, however, that Heinrich von Bolanden bought the half-completed Burg and paid for the rest of the construction himself. This is confirmed in a document dated September 11, 1273. In this document, von Bolanden bequeathed the completed Burg Bischofstein unto the Church of Trier. The conditions of the bestowal were such that he and all subsequent holders of his office would have a lifelong abode and that they should keep feudal responsibility over the Burg. As a reward for von Bolanden all of the then accepted feudal duties were fulfilled.
  His successor Hermann von Weilnau granted Arch Bishop Peter von Nassau the fee-simple to Burg Bischofstein in 1303. In the event of war, Burg Bischofstein was at the Arch Bishop's disposal. Heinrich von Pfaffendorf, the third Archdeacon of Bischofstein, pledged in 1329 that:
  he would not tolerate any enemies of the Archbishop at the Burg
  he would protect the section of the Moselle above which the Burg stood
  he would not accommodate any vassals at the Burg without the approval of the Arch Bishop.
  Other successors were Gottfried von Brandenburg and Friedrich Pfalzgraf bei Rhein. After 1501 there is no record of investiture.
  It is said that in 1552 Markgraf Albrecht von Brandenburg attempted, without success, to besiege Bischofstein. This is, however, undocumented.
  The Thirty Years' War negatively affected the Moselle. For example, on October 26, 1631, Louis XIV left the nearby village of Münstermaifeld destroyed. Despite this, a detailed visitor log in the Burg's chapel from 1680 indicates that Burg Bischofstein endured the war without damage. In 1688, during the War of the Grand Alliance, Louis XIV sent troops to weaken the Palatinate following its refusal to ratify the Truce of Regensburg. These French troops succeeded in destroying Burg Bischofstein in 1689.
  In 1794 the French annexed part of the Rhineland and the French regime liquidated many of the Church's possessions because they were seen as French national property. The ruins of Burg Bischofstein, which at that time belong to the St. Castor monastery in Karden, were treated as such. They were sold at a state auction to the winemaker Nicolaus Artz on September 29, 1803.
  In 1824 it was reported that a house with seven inhabitants was built at the site of the ruins. After this the ownership of the ruins is unknown.
caption: The oldest known photograph of Burg Bischofstein (before 1884)
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