CastleWerneck

Werneck Castle

Hospital

In Lower Franconia, Werneck Castle, a Baroque palace, stands as an example of Balthasar Neumann's secular architecture. Originally a medieval fortress, it was transformed into a summer residence in the 18th century and now houses medical institutions.

History+

The site's history dates back to 1202, when a fortress owned by the Ravensburg family was first documented. This original fortification suffered damage in the German Peasants' War in 1525 and was burned down by Margrave Albrecht Alcibiades in 1553. Prince-Bishop Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn had the complex rebuilt in 1601, but a fire in 1723 necessitated further restoration. Between 1733 and 1745, under Prince-Bishop Friedrich Karl von Schönborn and the direction of Balthasar Neumann, the current Baroque palace was constructed as a summer residence. From 1853, it was converted into a sanatorium and nursing home, which began operations in 1855 and is among Germany's oldest psychiatric clinics. A chapter involved the murder of approximately 800 patients in 1940 as part of the Action T4.

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Source: Wikipedia · Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Image: Reinhold Schulz

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: 49.9807, 10.1009