木曜日の洞窟・トップ20

Once a place of pilgrimage - today it is an enchanted place

The Löwenburg ruins in Monreal were built around 1229 as a hilltop castle on a rocky outcrop by Count Hermann III of Virneburg on land owned by his brother Philipp, who then transferred his rights to it to his brother Hermann. The Philippsburg ruins were built shortly afterwards by Count Philipp.

The Matthias Chapel on the Oberburg in Kobern near Gondorf on the Moselle is one of the most important late Romanesque chapels in Rhineland-Palatinate. It was built in the middle of the 13th century and used until the 14th century as a reliquary chapel for the head of the apostle Matthias, which is now located in the Abbey of St. Matthias in Trier. Henry II of Kobern brought this relic with him from the Crusade of Damietta (1217-1221). The unusual hexagonal floor plan of the chapel is probably modeled on the Templar Chapel in Tomar (Portugal). The rich and high-quality capital sculpture inside is stylistically reminiscent of the Laacher Samson Master. The Matthias Chapel was restored in 1836 under the direction of Johann Claudius von Lassaulx (1781-1848). After restoration changes in the 19th century, laborious reconstruction and repair work was necessary in the 20th century, which has not yet been fully completed. However, the chapel now offers a romantic setting for weddings and concerts. The "Upper Castle with Matthias Chapel" is designated as a cultural monument in the Mayen-Koblenz district. https://www.kuladig.de/Objektansicht/O-59554-20130123-2

The Lion Castle The Löwenburg above the half-timbered village of Monreal is a so-called spur castle and was first mentioned in a document in 1229. Count Hermann III von Virneburg is considered to be the builder of the Löwenburg. According to tradition, he is said to have built the complex on the property of his brother Philipp following a division agreement. However, the resulting disputes between the brothers were later resolved and Philip assigned his rights to the region to his brother. Today, large parts of the Löwenburg are still preserved, which give a good impression of how stately the castle once looked. First and foremost, the remains of the 25 meter high keep with its three meter thick walls are visible from afar. The high entrance to the imposing keep faces towards the valley and is therefore strategically located on the side facing away from the enemy. The tower is also freely accessible as a viewing tower.

The Philippsburg The Philippsburg in Monreal was also built in the 13th century. The Philippsburg was given the nickname "Rech" (deer) in the local dialect due to its smaller size compared to the Löwenburg. There are two different theories about its origins: On the one hand, the Philippsburg was built as an outbuilding or outer structure of the Löwenburg, or on the other hand, it was built as Philip's "response" to the unauthorized construction of the Löwenburg by his brother. Some substantial wall remains of the Philippsburg have also been preserved - including the northwest tower and the restored south wall - which give a good impression of the original structure.

Very beautiful bridge over the Elzbach in Monreal. The bridge is the middle of three historic stone bridges in the town. On the bridge is the impressive sight from the 15th century, the Lion Monument. The four lions carved in basalt are among the most important monuments of their kind in the Rhineland due to their uniqueness. On the other side of the bridge is the statue of John of Nepomuk, who also gave the bridge its name "John's Bridge". Beautiful!

The narrow streets of Monreal, its quaint Holy Trinity Church, the massive Nepomuk Bridge over the clear Elzbach and the ruins of Löwenburg and Philippsburg castles high above the town are a beautiful destination in the eastern Eifel. The red and white half-timbered houses nestle closely together, and the four-gabled house from the 15th century in particular transports walkers into a fairytale past. https://www.eifel.info/a-monreal

The monastery ruins of Tönisstein, also Sankt Antoniusstein monastery, are the ruins of a former Carmelite monastery in Bad Tönisstein, a residential area in the Kell district of the city of Andernach (Rhineland-Palatinate), which was founded in 1465. The monastery ruins are protected as a cultural monument.