HOME   ARTICLES   ABOUT US   LINKS   SPECIAL DEALS   CONTACT

Bargain Travel Europe guide to Europe on a budget for vacation destinations, travel ideas and secret spots missed by travel tours.

THURANT CASTLE
Guarding The Moselle Vineyards

Thurant Castle (Burg Thurant) standing on a vine covered steep slope above the Moselle River where it is flat and wide between Coblenz and Cochem, above the town of Alken, has endured murder, the intrigues of succession, division by a wall and allied bombs. The older parts of the castle are ruins, but sections have remained and slowly recovered. The first construction of the castle was begun in 1197 under the Palatine Duke of Braunschweig. Castle Thurant gets its name from the fortified town of Thuron in Syria unsuccessfully besieged by its builder in the Crusades under Frederick Barbarossa. Thurant resisted claims of the Hohenstaufens (see Burg Guttenberg on the Neckar) until being taken by the Archbishop of Cologne, Engelbert in 1216. Englebert was murdered after only nine years in control.

Perhaps the castle Burg Thurant’s most interesting history is after its transfer to the Wittenbachs. Through parts of its existence Castle Thurant has been divided, unlike Solomon’s baby. After its fall under a siege in 1248, following a two year war with the city of Trier by its then occupant, the knight known as “Zorno”, the ownership of the castle was actually divided between two Bishoprics. One half of Thurant was given to Coblenz and the other to Trier. The castle today is noted for its two towers at either end. When the castle was divided between the two districts a wall was built between the two halves so each owner would have a defense. The towers are now called the Trier Tower and the Cologne Tower. Several families had claim to the castle over the years, until it was abandoned as a fortress in 1600s and remained a ruin until privately purchased in 1911. It suffered further damage in 1945 at the end of the war. Even today, its presently privately owned by two families.

The current owners have been rebuilding and restoring the remaining features of the castle since the 20's. Noted elements of the structure are its two high towers, defensive walkways, the current rebuilt manor house, the dividing wall, a castle chapel with an ornate Baroque altar and a rebuilt hunting lodge with displays of armor and hunting trophies. Thurant Castle can clearly be seen from the river and the river route road (B49) and is easily reached up a road from the village of Alken on the south bank of the Moselle. There is a car parking area just below the wooden draw walkway to the castle gate with its spiked portcullis. Admission is a few euro and there is a small refreshment bar inside. Castle Thurant is about 20 minutes from Cochem (see Cochem Imperial Castle) and 30 Mintutes from Koblenz. It can also be reached via a shortcut from the Rhine River at Boppard (see Rhine Town Boppard) via the (narrow) country road through Pfaffenheck. © Bargain Travel Europe

Find best hotel and vacation deals in Alken - Rhineland 

Web Info
Moselle Tourism

These articles are copyrighted and the sole property of Bargain Travel Europe and WLPV, LLC. and may not be copied or reprinted without permission.

See Also:

RHINE CASTLES EHRENFELS AND SOONECK

GERMAN WINE ROAD - BAD DURKHEIM

SCHLOSS LUDWIGSECK - CASTLE BED & BREAKFAST

Privacy
Legal
Contact

Discover Travel in Europe on a Budget with Bargain Travel Europe   ©2006-2010 Winged Lion Entertainment Ventures, LLC