Public library
Museum
CastleSimmern
Simmern Castle
Simmern Castle is located in the district town of Simmern in the Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis, Rhineland-Palatinate.
The first mention of a castle in Simmern dates back to 1311, still under the rule of the Raugraves. Simmern Castle was built by Stefan von Pfalz-Simmern-Zweibrücken and then expanded into a palace by his son, Duke Friedrich I. The castle was the residence of the Simmern Dukes from 1410 to 1598 and from 1610 to 1673. For the year 1595, 125 people are documented as court servants. In 1655, major repairs were carried out. The invoices issued for this at that time are preserved. Among other things, 280 window panes and numerous pieces of furniture had to be newly manufactured.
During the War of the Palatine Succession, the city of Simmern was almost completely destroyed. Already in May 1689, the city wall was demolished, the large watchtower destroyed, and all houses burned down. The destruction of the city ended on September 17, 1689, with the blowing up of the castle.
The current New Castle was built from 1708 to 1713 as the seat of an Electoral Palatinate Oberamtmann. Napoleon gifted it to the city in 1802. From then on, it was used as a court, school, garrison, detention center, and official residence.
Architecture+
The castle destroyed in 1689 is depicted in several copper engravings. It consisted of a rectangular complex surrounded by a moat. The castle complex included a castle garden and the so-called Red House with a printing press and mint.
The current castle consists of a main building and two projecting side wings. In earlier times, the buildings on both sides were surrounded by a castle pond.
Current Use+
Today, the building houses a ballroom, a senior citizens' room, the Hunsrück Museum, the Rhein-Hunsrück Archive, the history library, the wedding hall of the Simmern/Hunsrück registry office, and Simmern's city library. The exhibition of the painter and sculptor Friedrich Karl Ströher is located in the attic.
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Source: Wikipedia · Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Image: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Simmern-schloss01.jpg
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: 49.9829, 7.5201