page_title: Gifhorn Castle
section_title: Castle history
hierarchical_section_title: Gifhorn Castle / History / Castle history
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Herzog Franz von Braunschweig-Lüneburg, Holzplastik auf seinem Sarkophag in der Schlosskapelle Gifhorn, Erlaubnis des Heimatmuseums Gifhorn zur Abbildung liegt vor. Foto aufgenommen von Benutzer Benutzer:Axel Hindemith, Juni 2005
context_page_description: Gifhorn Castle is a castle in Gifhorn, Germany, built between 1525 and 1581 in the Weser Renaissance style. The castle was fortified until 1790 with moats, ramparts and bastions and was never captured. In the 16th century it was the Residenz of the Duchy of Gifhorn under Duke Francis of Brunswick-Lüneburg for just 10 years.
context_section_description: On taking over the castle in 1539, Duke Francis was able to indulge his noble image of himself and attended to his princely representational duties unfettered. He had Gifhorn Castle expanded as his Residenz and led an ostentatious, courtly life. At the same time he built Fallersleben Castle as a rural aristocratic estate. Life with his more prudent brother, Ernest and the relatively modest standard of living in the small Celle Residenz was not enough for him. Francis engaged the fortress architect, Michael Clare, from Celle. His works dominate the appearance of Gifhorn Castle.
  After the death of Duke Francis in 1549 the castle ceased to be a princely Residenz. The Duchy of Gifhorn that had lasted just 10 years from 1539 to 1549 was re-absorbed into the main ducal house in Celle. The widowed duchess, Clara, had to move out of the castle rooms and take up her dowager residence at Fallersleben Castle. Thereafter Gifhorn Castle became the residence of a bailiff (Amtmann). Occasionally it was used as accommodation for the royal hunting parties of the Celle dukes, who came here in order to hunt in the great forests around Gifhorn.
  Nevertheless the castle was retained as a fortress, because it had a strategically important function for the Celle dukes on the southeastern flank of their dukedom. The castle was run by a castellan (Schlosshauptmann) and, from 1734, a seneschal (Landdrost). He was the fortress commander (Festungskommandant) and, from the 16th century onwards, commanded a force of armourers (Waffenmeister), Büchsenschützen and Landsknechten. From the time it was built the fortress withstood every attack. Enemy troops, like the Swedes, Danes, league (Ligisten) and imperial troops in the Thirty Years War and French armies in the Seven Years' War quartered themselves in the town of Gifhorn but avoided attacking the castle.
  The last Schlosshauptmann, Ulrich von Veltheim allowed the fortifications to be dismantled between 1770 and 1780, because it was no longer equal to technological advances of that time. The moats were reduced to half-width and entrances were constructed at the northern and southern bastions. The fortified gatehouse was converted into a grain store. From the 18th century, district administrators (Landräte) officiated in the castle. A fundamental renovation and redevelopment of the whole castle area took place between 1978 and 1983. Today the castle is home to the following:
  Gifhorn district with the district council rooms
  Great Hall Event Venue (Veranstaltungsort Rittersaal)
  Gifhorn Castle History Museum with 1000 m² of exhibition area showing the development of Gifhorn from ancient times to the present
  The castle restaurant
  The prison (Justizvollzugsanstalt)
caption: Duke Francis in the castle chapel
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