Small Guide of Wartburg Castle [antikvár]

PrefaceOverlooking the town of Eisenach, Wartburg Castle occupies an im-portant strategic place on a rock plateau approximately 1,300 ft ab-ove sea-level. Unlike nearly every other architectural monument, it has for more than nine centuries fre-quently been the scene of important episodes in the political and cultural history of the Germán people. Legend has it that it was founded by Count Ludwig der Springer (Ludwig the Jumper) in 1067. It re-ceived its first documentary mention in 1080. In the twelfth century it was extended to become the favou-rite castle of the Ludowingers, who were made landgraves of Thuringia in 1131.By around 1200, it had become a major centre of courtly art. The best poets of the time - among them Wolfram von Eschenbach and Wal-ther von der Vogelweide - stayed at the castle on several occasions, receiving a great deal of encourage-ment and support from their hosts.