Burial vault of Nassau-Siegen, Burial vault in Unteres Schloss, Siegen, Germany.
The Nassau-Siegen burial vault is an underground chamber with a cross-shaped barrel-vaulted ceiling, entered through a cast iron door decorated with the Nassau coat of arms. It is located within the Lower Castle and was built as a burial place for prominent family members.
The chamber was built in 1669 by Dutch architect Maurits Post to bury John Maurice, Prince of Nassau-Siegen, on the grounds of a former Franciscan monastery. It preserves the memory of a period when this influential family ruled the region.
The center of the vault displays a wooden replica of an ornate sarcophagus and a portrait bust of Johann Moritz, created by artist Bartholomäus Eggers. These pieces show how the family expressed their rank and importance through physical objects.
The vault is open to visitors, though you should check ahead about current visiting conditions and access arrangements. Since it is underground, the temperature stays cool and stable throughout the year, so bringing a light jacket is a good idea.
The vault remained undamaged during the devastating city fire of 1695, which destroyed much of the surrounding Lower Castle, giving it rare continuity across the centuries. This resilience makes it one of the oldest surviving parts of the castle complex.
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