Fortress Koblenz-Klausenburg

The origins of Klausenburg date back to 1828, when the wine merchant Buschmann had a wine press house built from quarry stone on the steep slope of Ehrenbreitstein. In 1853, Josef Buschmann inherited the business and planned to expand the wine press house into a villa. Since Prussian rayon regulations prohibited constructions near the Klausenberg work, Buschmann utilized the plans for the expansion of Ehrenbreitstein's city fortifications. Thus, the villa could be realized between 1856 and 1857 according to designs by Karl August von Cohausen and integrated into the defense systems, including embrasures. The building proved unsuitable for residential purposes, leading to an unsuccessful sales attempt in 1860. For a time, it was intended as a prize at an international shooting festival, but the winner never received it. From this episode comes the name "Schützenburg" (Shooter's Castle).