Old Württemberg had seven super fortresses. Four of these were mountain strongholds (Hohentwiel, Hohenurach, Hohenneuffen, Hohenasperg) and three strongly fortified cities with castle grade walls (Tübingen, Schorndorf and Kirchheim/Teck). An occasional overlap with Celtic defense structures can be observed. And some geographic features will always lend themselves to certain enhancements.
Date(s): 2010. Photos by Aymar. 1 - 25 of 25 Total. 8033 Visits.
1 Hohenneuffen long distance view from the Beurener Fels (feel like an Austrian spy)
2 Hohenneuffen
3 Hohenneuffen, parking lot And some public awareness posters are just designed to warm the cockles of your heart. - As for black hands, suggested line up: beware of Mosaddegh, Chevarez, Khodorkovsky (at the receiving end) and the Australian mining tax department. Fact of life, most nations will first take care of their own.
4 Hohenneuffen, the timeline The mutilated color coding does not make too much sense. The parts in light blue were added under Carl Alexander but the wine red parts will be the oldest. The mighty corner towers were most likely Renaissance additions. Ulrich and Christoph era.
In somewhat more detail: The parts in light blue color were added in the time Duke Karl Alexander. (Roughly, the new front yard - there is a time for murdering holes (machicolations) and there is a time for action over a safe distance.) In hindsight: it will have looked good on paper but it was so much wasted money. In modern terms: Alexander's Cold War mind set resulted in the usual misallocation of resources. Most generous verdict, still shell shocked from the 30 Year War and the ensuing period of visitation by foreign warlords. Not that super fortresses offered any protection in this respect. Conquest was not the object and protection money could be squeezed more easily out of less well defended targets. (The 17th century ...
5 Hohenneuffen, anno 1802 Metzger sketch of the Hohen-Neuffen from 1802. (Basically the Renaissance look. Everything beyond the round towers are later additions.) The castle was dismantled soon afterwards. Most medieval castles were auctioned off as quarries in the first part of the 19th century. Open season on the cultural heritage. Also an easy way to raise cash. On a deeper level: Napoleon's revenge. Non classic buildings were generally regarded as blemishes. (Casbah concoctions of dangerous warped symmetries. First cousins once removed to disorderly conduct. In effigy executions are common enough. Most medieval town gates were razed at the same time.) It took the advent of Romanticism to save what was left.
6 Hohenneuffen, Allewindeturm The tower comes with a certain Maginot Line look. (You would just have to sink it deep enough. Same story for the high riding embrasures.)
7 Hohenneuffen, Allewindeturm All traffic to and from the castle has to go through this underground passage.
8 Hohenneuffen, Allewindeturm
9 Hohenneuffen diorama space for hire (give me a wine cellar and I will transform it into a private alcove)
10 Hohenneuffen A vintage water cart falling apart. Would date it not much earlier than 1900. Telltale clue, the mass produced hubs (post artisanal era). The spigot is also nearly high tech. Rubber gasket with screw clamp. - Water was often scarce on the Hohenneuffen. There are no wells, just two cisterns.
11 Hohenneuffen, pay capsule Matching exhibit from a municipal museum. The wherewithal. Looks like a forge iron beer tankard but it is actually an army pay capsule, 17th century. Variation of the Wells Fargo strongbox theme. Manacled to the side rail of a heavy duty rack wagon. (Chainsaws came later.) -- By free association - Berthold Brecht: see nothing wrong with PX services (sideline, fencing?) We are all camp followers at heart. - By hearsay: Brecht stipulated later - Berlin East time - that his salary be credited to a Swiss bank account. Not sure if just anyone would have gotten away with it.
12 Hohenneuffen, crest Historic 'Great Seal' of Württemberg. What difference a fresh coat of paint can make.
The four crests: The stag antlers stand for core Württemberg. The lozenge pattern is the coat of arms of the duchy of Teck. The golden eagle is a rather tenuous reminder that the duchy was also a member of the Holy Roman Empire (whatever the actual alliance). The zodiacal pair of fish represent Mömpelgard (now Montbéliard). Napoleon (in sensu lato, the Directoire was also active) took it but was gentlemanly enough to leave a crown on the nightstand. Whatever it takes to soften the blow. He knew how to handle the likes of the fat Friederich (duke and king). The promotion (Indian gift) somewhat soured the relationship with the father-in-law in Windsor. Degree issuing usurpers, something like that. Just for the shake of completeness: Mömpelgard was annexed a second time but Clemenceau was somewhat less gentlemanly about it. He just left the bill for the tools on the nightstand. - Whi...
13 Hohenneuffen, NW corner Possibly the base of the Black Tower.
14 Hohenneuffen One of the viewing platforms. Took some glowing edge liberties with the unclaimed white fluff in the vicinity. Standard Eastward migration. You can always file it as Tauromania. (If Picasso gets away with it.)
15 Hohenneuffen maybe you can use it as map holder during staff meetings
16 Hohenneuffen View from the Neuffen Tower, the highest point of the castle. - The thickness of the wall is tapering off. I suspect that the ledges did once hold floor beams. The other option would have been corbels. - In the backdrop, the shut down quarry of the Starkenberg.
17 Hohenneuffen View from the Neuffener Tower. The term lime green comes to mind.
18 Hohenneuffen, Burg Teck The original castle Teck was destroyed in the peasant war. The present building is a late 19th century creation.
19 Hohenneuffen, stop n watch Stop 'n watch (Euro denominated for the time being). Paparazzi hint: this is your chance to spy on Diana's wedding party in the neighboring Teck (she will stand on top of the slender neo Gothic tower). Slightly slanderous. She never did set a foot there as far as I know. There are far more fashionable resort locations. The castle name is however still buried somewhere in her title (long version) and the Teck caters for wedding festivities (as does the Hohenneuffen or any other public owned castle sublet on concession store basis. McDonald's hint.)
20 Hohenneuffen, Neuffen Bird's eye view of Neuffen. (The other flanking township is Beuren, starboard side.)
21 Hohenneuffen at the edge of the forest - stroller near a field of rape
22 Hohenneuffen just doodling - enhanced forest edge - glow function - (less technical: what actually goes on behind the placid facade, a reclined forest spirit pinch hitting as glass blower - somebody has to make all those cloud baubles)
23 Hohenneuffen, Heidengraben The Celtics tried to close off selected parts of the Swabian Alb by their own version of the Limes. The Romans were apparently not too impressed. Whatever you want to call the kraal of your oppidum. This is a partially reconstructed wall segment near Erkenbrechtsweiler. The parapet, which may have been painted in red, is still missing. The substructure could be described as a simplified version of the 'murus gallicus' (half-timbered stone ramparts, better known classroom footprint). The Heidengraben is dated back to 125 BC.
24 Hohenneuffen, Heidengraben floral coping: bedstraw, dandelion and vetch
25 Hohenneuffen, Heidengraben Info board picture. The not yet reconstructed 'inturned' gateway of the Celtic 'Limes'. (I would have rendered it as 'gauntlet' gate. No doubt in this case on the intentionality of the deformation. Umbrella wisdom: mishaps will occur.)
