| of the archbishops of Magdeburg
in 1503 the fortress served for a time as seat of administration.
It was partly destroyed in 1636 during the Thirty Years
War. At the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries the ruins
became an important symbol of German Romanticism. The city
of Halle took over the ruins from the Prussian administration
in 1906 an opened them to the public. Since 1966 Burg Giebichenstein
has been designated an open-air museum. Comprehensive restoration
work beginning in the early 19's revealed further remains
of the walls, so that the visitor now has a clearer view
of the whole: curtain wall, foundations of the living quarters
including a tower which served as accommodation with walls
3 to 5 meters thick; foundations of the chapel, 17 m long,
walls 2.2 m thick; courtyard with original medieval paving;
barrel vaulting. The 12th century gatehouse offers a unique
and unforgettable view of the river Saale. The lower castle
has since 1921 been the seat of what is now the School of
Art and Design (Hochschule für Kunst und Design - Burg
Giebichenstein). |
