| Clanx Castle | |
|---|---|
Ruine Clanx | |
| Appenzell | |
 | |
  Clanx Castle | |
| Coordinates | 47°20′50″N9°24′40″E / 47.347312°N 9.411171°E Coordinates: 47°20′50″N9°24′40″E / 47.347312°N 9.411171°E |
| Code | CH-AI |
| Height | 1,004 m above the sea |
| Site information | |
| Condition | ruin |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1219 |
Clanx Castle (German : Ruine Clanx) is a ruined castle in the Appenzell District of the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden in Switzerland.
The castle is first mentioned in 1219 as in arce Clanx, [1] named after the Sax family holding in the Calanca valley. It was built by the Abbot of St. Gall Ulrich von Sax (1204–20) and his brother, the Abbey-Vogt Heinrich. The castle quickly became the center of the Abbey's lands in Appenzell. In 1236 Heinrich's uncle, the famous knight and minnesänger Heinrich III von Sax, took over the castle. During a contested election for Abbot of St. Gall in 1272, Ulrich von Güttingen received support from the Habsburgs in exchange for a promise to take the castle and lands away from the Sax family. Two years later, in 1274, Heinrich III was forced out and the Habsburg knight Ulrich von Ramschwag was given the castle. [2] In 1277 Abbot Rumo von Ramstein traded Blatten Castle and other estates with Ulrich von Ramschwag, bringing Clanx back under the Abbey's control. In 1278 the Appenzellers revolted against the Abbot and unsuccessfully attacked Clanx. In 1289, the Habsburgs attacked Clanx in an attempt to gain control over Appenzell. After a six-week siege, the Habsburg forces paid the castle's defenders a bribe to open the castle gates. The defenders departed in peace and the castle was burned. [3]
The Abbot was eventually victorious in the war against the Habsburgs. In 1298 he rebuilt Clanx Castle and continued to administer and control Appenzell from it. Over the following century the relationship between the Abbot and Appenzell worsened. In 1401 Appenzell revolted and began the Appenzell Wars. One of the first actions of the Appenzell army was to besiege and apparently quickly take Clanx. However, a few months later, the castle was back under the Abbot's control. In the following year a combined army from Appenzell and the city of St. Gallen attacked and captured Clanx. This time the victorious army decided to burn the castle before they left. After the Appenzell Wars, the Abbey retained control over the ruined castle and the hill on which it stood. In 1491, they sold the ruins and surrounding land to a private owner. [3]
In 1885, the castle ruins were rediscovered during construction of a restaurant. The restaurant was completed, but destroyed in a storm in the same year. In 1949 the foundations of a strong square tower, a smaller corner tower on the highest point of the hill and parts of the walls were excavated. [1]
Today the eastern half of the castle as well as part of the western wall have been excavated and repaired. The castle gate, south-east of the main tower, was reconstructed in 1949. The main tower is a large, square building 10.3 m × 10.15 m (33.8 ft × 33.3 ft) in size with walls that are up to 2 m (6.6 ft) thick.
The Abbey of Saint Gall is a dissolved abbey (747–1805) in a Catholic religious complex in the city of St. Gallen in Switzerland. The Carolingian-era monastery has existed since 719 and became an independent principality between 9th and 13th centuries, and was for many centuries one of the chief Benedictine abbeys in Europe. It was founded by Saint Othmar on the spot where Saint Gall had erected his hermitage. The library of the Abbey is one of the oldest monastic libraries in the world. The city of St. Gallen originated as an adjoining settlement of the abbey. Following the secularization of the abbey around 1800, the former Abbey church became a Cathedral in 1848. Since 1983 the abbey precinct has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Appenzell is a village, a town, but not a municipality, and the capital of the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden in Switzerland. Appenzell has no municipal government of its own; rather, the different parts of Appenzell belong to and are governed by the districts Appenzell, Schwende and Rüte. Because of that, for firefighting, energy and water, the village Appenzell has a special-purpose municipality, the Feuerschaugemeinde.
The Appenzell Wars were a series of conflicts that lasted from 1401 until 1429 in the Appenzell region of Switzerland. The wars were a successful uprising of cooperative groups, such as the farmers of Appenzell or the craftsmen of the city of St. Gallen, against the traditional medieval power structure represented by the House of Habsburg and the Prince-Abbot of the Abbey of St. Gall.
Hagenwil Castle is a castle in the municipality of Amriswil of the Canton of Thurgau in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance. It is the only remaining intact water castle in eastern Switzerland.
Belfort Castle is a ruined castle in the municipality of Brienz/Brinzauls of the Canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance.
Sogn Parcazi Castle and Church is a ruined castle and fortified church in the municipality of Trin of the Canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance.
Jörgenberg Castle is a castle in the municipality of Waltensburg/Vuorz of the Canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance.
Belmont Castle is a ruined castle near Flims, Graubünden, Switzerland. It was the home of the Barons of Belmont.
Alt-Regensberg Castle is a hill castle which was built about the mid-11th century AD by the House of Regensberg in the Swiss municipality of Regensdorf in the Canton of Zürich.
The noble family von Sax were a medieval noble family in eastern Switzerland. They owned estates and castles on both sides of the Alps in the modern cantons of St. Gallen, Graubünden and Ticino. The origin of the family is unknown, but they probably stem from Churrätien nobility and were related to the da Torre family. The family divided into two main lines; the Grafen (counts) von Sax-Misox and the Freiherren (barons) von Hohensax.
Rosenberg Castle is a ruined castle located near the villages of Burghalden and Schachen to the north of the municipality of Herisau in the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden in Switzerland.
Rosenburg Castle is a ruined castle located to the west of the municipality of Herisau in the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance. The castle is on the Ramsenstock and is therefore also called Ramsenburg.
Rosenberg Castle is a ruined castle in the municipality of Giswil in the canton of Obwalden in Switzerland.
Alt-Aspermont Castle is a ruined castle in the municipality of Trimmis of the Canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. It was once one of the largest castles in Graubünden, but today only a few small ruins remain.
Frischenberg is a ruined castle in Sennwald, canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland. It was built in the early 14th century by the lords of Hohensax, probably by Ulrich III von Hohensax some time after 1313. It was destroyed and rebuilt in 1446, and abandoned in 1551.
The Rorschacher Klosterbruch or St. Gallerkrieg was a war between the Abbey of Saint Gall, Zürich, Lucerne, Schwyz and Glarus against the city of St. Gallen and Appenzell in 1489 to 1490.
The Vorburg is a ruined castle located in the village of Oberurnen, now part of the municipality of Glarus Nord in the Canton of Glarus of Switzerland. It is the most significant castle in the canton.
Konrad von Gundelfingen was prince-abbot of the Princely Abbey of Kempten from 1284 until 1302. He was also anti-abbot of the Princely Abbey of Saint Gall from 1288 until 1291, appointed by King Rudolf I.
Wilhelm I Count of Montfort was prince-abbot of Saint Gall from 1281 until 1301.
Ulrich von Güttingen was the abbot of the Abbey of Saint Gall from 1272 until his death.
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