Castles between Rems and Danube
Caste ruin Hohenrechberg near Schwäbisch Gmünd | © M. Weidenbacher
Subproject:
B 03 Resource Development and territories in the Middle Ages
Project leadership:
Prof. Dr. Rainer Schreg, Prof. Dr. Sigrid Hirbodian
Staff:
Jonas Froehlich, Michael Weidenbacher
Region:
Southern Germany
What role did castles play as centers of power besides their function as residential and fortified buildings?
For the subproject ‚Development of Resources and Dominions in the Middle Ages. Cloisters and Castles’ focuses on the castles of the region between the rivers Rems and Danube as centers of power and access points to resources. In addition to centers of high aristocracy such as ‚Helfenstein‘ Castle, the study focuses particularly on smaller sites such as ‚Wäscherschloss‘ Castle and the ‚Turmhügelburg‘ near ‚Wäschenbeuren‘. Castles are not only residential and fortified buildings, but also multifunctional hubs with far-reaching significance for the settlement area and for the lords of the castle. Corresponding, the project investigates their significance as cultural resources for the social advancement of unfree ministry officials to the aristocracy and as instruments for the development and the protection of material resources for the establishment of power.