History, myths and legends around Schönburg

The Schönburg was first mentioned in history between 911 and 1166 AD. Until the 17th century, the castle experienced a highly changeable and warlike history with tribal battles and family feuds. In the 12th century, the Schönburg family took over the previously royal churches into their fiefdom and also had the right to collect customs on the Rhine. They also ruled over Oberwesel almost without exception as imperial bailiffs until the beginning of the 13th century. The Schönburg is one of the few co-inheritance castles in which, after the death of the father, the castle inheritance passed equally to all sons and not - as was generally the case - only to the eldest son. This is how it came about that at the time of its peak in the 14th century, the Schönburg was home to 24 different families with a total of around 250 people. The greatest fame of the entire Oberwesel Schönburg family was achieved by Friedrich von Schönburg as a lieutenant general and colonel in French, Portuguese and Prussian service and under the name "Marshall Schomberg". In the War of the Palatinate Succession, French troops set fire to the town of Oberwesel and the Schönburg in 1689. The Schönburg remained a ruin two centuries after its destruction. Victor Hugo once described it as one of the most admirable ruins in Europe. The Schönburg family died out in the male line with the son of Friedrich von Schönburg. After repeated changes of owners (including Prince Albrecht of Prussia), the German-American Rhinelander took possession of the castle. By 1914, he had spent over 2 million gold marks on restoring the castle. The city of Oberwesel was able to buy back the Schönburg from the American's son in 1950. Since 1957, the Schönburg has been leased to the Hüttl family, and since 1983 it has been a hereditary leasehold, now in the third generation.

The Hüttl family is very much looking forward to a present and future with you as guests in the historic castle hotel.

myths and legends



The Legend of the Seven Virgins

A long time ago, seven sisters lived in Schönburg Castle. Because of their beauty and charm, their fame was spread by many singers to the farthest reaches of the land. At the same time, however, the singers wanted to report that the sisters were very rich and virtuous.

Numerous knights of proud lineage, of rich property and with the most polite manners, who considered it worthy to lead one of the seven noble ladies home, therefore set out for Schönburg to conquer one of the hearts by storm or with patient courting.

But this task became all the more difficult as more and more rivals arrived at the castle. A happy life and hustle and bustle soon prevailed. Competitions in all kinds of weapons, in wrestling skills, but also in singing and playing strings, in love songs and adventurous storytelling began. And often one or the other of the ladies' hearts seemed to lean towards a suitor. But after just a few days, the inclination usually seemed to have changed. After a while, each of the suitors had to admit that they had wrongly interpreted a friendly word, a firmer handshake during a dance or a small piece of embroidery as a sign of impending victory. Some of them therefore tried their luck at another castle, annoyed and disappointed. But the seven ladies continued to maintain their independence and their impeccable reputation. And they had no reason to complain about boredom.

Slowly, however, over the years, the opinion began to prevail that the seven nobles were just trying to make fools of all the suitors. The suitors therefore decided to finally put an end to the time of waiting and hoping by force. They let the beloved know that they would besiege the castle until their pride was broken and they had chosen among the suitors. At first, the beauties seemed shocked by this news. But how could the seven have avoided so many different courtships for so long if they had not always found an unexpected twist? They therefore announced to the herald of the suitors that they were now ready to put an end to the game.

Oh! How the suitors adorned themselves, dressed in their finest clothes, secretly gave rich gifts to maids and squires, sang and romped about, only to appear advantageous to their rivals. But when the hour of decision came, the sisters announced that their future would be decided by lot. The lots were distributed, and, probably through an inexplicable trick of the Rhenish maidens, the lot fell to the ugliest and most despised of the suitors. From that hour on, there was no trace of the unity that had prevailed a short time before. And full of resentment, the losers awaited the next morning, when the victors would be led to their ladies.

But things turned out differently! The pages threw open the double doors to the great knights' hall to let the lucky and the envious in. But in the solemnly decorated hall, seven straw dolls sat in seven armchairs, dressed in the robes of the fairies.

But down in the valley a boat was floating down the Rhine with the seven shy maidens, who were waving mischievously back to the castle.

But the legend goes on to say that the maidens did not get very far. A large and unusual wave caught and pushed the boat below the town of Oberwesel, where the Roßstein towers far out into the water. And where the seven maidens sank in the water, seven rocks grew up, which even today, when the water level is low, serve as a warning to every maiden not to be too stubborn in rejecting the advances of sincere suitors. That is why people still call these stones "The Seven Maidens of Schönburg".