The remains of the Castle can be visited
CastleHohenems
Alt-Ems Castle
The castle ruin Alt-Ems majestically overlooks Hohenems in Vorarlberg, Austria. Once one of the most powerful fortresses in the southern German region, it still bears witness to its imposing past and offers visitors a fascinating insight into medieval architecture.
History+
The origins of Alt-Ems Castle date back to Welf times, before it passed into Staufer possession from 1179/1191. In the late 12th century, it developed into one of the largest castle complexes in the region and served the Staufers, among other things, as a prison for important figures such as William III of Sicily in 1195 and Archbishop Bruno of Cologne in 1206. During the Appenzell War, the castle was destroyed in 1407. Around 1500, extensive renovations and expansions began under Count Jakob Hannibal I of Hohenems, which led to an extensive Renaissance fortress from 1566 under Count Kaspar of Hohenems. After the extinction of the Counts of Hohenems, the castle passed to Austria in 1765 and was auctioned for demolition in 1792. Between 1938 and 1940, and again in 1965/66, extensive restorations were carried out, and since 2006, the ruin has been undergoing further renovation.
Location+
The castle ruin Alt-Ems is located in Hohenems, in the district of Dornbirn, in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg. It stands at an elevation of approximately 685 meters above sea level.
On site+
The Alt-Ems ruin is open to visitors today and invites exploration. It is privately owned by the Waldburg-Zeil-Hohenems family.
Nearby+
- Hohenems Castle (Schloss), approx. 0.5 km away
- Neu-Ems Castle (Burg), approx. 0.9 km away
- Sonderberg Castle (Schloss), approx. 3.7 km away
- Jonas Schlössle (Schloss), approx. 5.3 km away
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Source: Wikipedia · Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Image: http://www.wehrbauten.at
This description draws on the facts documented in the linked Wikipedia article; Wikipedia content is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wording and editing: Mobile History.
Location: 47.3635, 9.6960