burgruine sponheim

Its tower is accessible, the key can be obtained free of charge at the last House in front of the ruin (housenumber 5). At least, normally one can visit the tower, when we arrived restorationworks were carried out, so no inner visit for us (so best check on forhand). The castle was first menioned in a charter in 1127, but probably already existed in the 11th century: a Stephan von Spanheim (medieval spelling of Sponheim) was mentioned in 1075 (it is unknown if this mentioned Stephan was a member of the family seat Sponheim). 12th Century enlargement of the fort to beautiful castle seat of the counts family. Count Gotfried II was married to Adelheid von Sayn (who inherited the county of Sayn in 1260). Their three sons shared possessions in 1223-1233: Johan I got Rear County of Sponheim (Hintere grafschaft Sponheim-Starkenburg) with goods to Moselle and Birkenfeld (his seat was Starkenburg at the Moselle). Heinrich received the County of Sayn. Simon II recieved Front County of Sponheim (Vordere grafschaft Sponheim-Kreuznach) with Kreuznach. With this division the Fort lost its meaning as headquarters and from then on only served as widows seat, none of the two lines would wave its right of possession: thus in 1280 the Fort became Ganerbenburg (inhabited by several families), the following years it served noble Ministerial. In 1300 the Castle Chapel was created, as well as a Burgsponheim settlement arose. In 1417, after extinction of the Kreuznacher-line in Sponheim it got into possession of the Starkenburger line. After their extinction in 1437 the Fort and its possessions went into possession of Baden. The Fort was destroyed by Spanish General Spínola during the 30-year war, by 1645 Fort Sponheim became a ruin