Burg Schweinsberg, Medieval castle in Stadtallendorf, Germany.
Burg Schweinsberg stands on a basalt cone about 215 m above sea level in Stadtallendorf. Around 1482 Hans Jakob von Ettlingen added a massive outer wall with three half-round projecting towers and the Hexenturm, and a rectangular forecourt whose gate a round defensive tower still guards. The Kemenate, built 1459–1497 by Conrad Schenck zu Schweinsberg, was given a neo-Gothic annex in 1852; the two surviving buildings now hold seven flats.
The castle was founded around 1230 by Guntram of Marburg and underwent major expansion in 1482 under master builder Hans Jakob von Ettlingen. After destruction during the Thirty Years War, it was restored in 1852 with neo-gothic elements.
The name Schweinsberg comes from the family that built the castle: Guntram called himself "von Schweinsberg" from around 1230, and his descendants became hereditary cupbearers (Schenken) of Hesse around 1249. A family of Schenck and a descendant of Konrad Schenck, who built the Kemenate, still live in its apartments today.
The castle sits on a basalt hill and offers views of the surrounding area around Stadtallendorf. It is best visited in good weather when the paths around the fortress are easy to walk.
After destruction in the Thirty Years War, the castle was rebuilt with neo-gothic style features that gave it a romantic appearance. This transformation changed its look from a purely military structure to a residence with historical character.
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