Die Wartburg

The almost 950 year history of Wartburg Castle is marked by intriguing legend and history. The castle is said to have been founded by Count Ludwig der Springer, so named because he leapt from his prison cell window into the river below and thus to safety. Later when chasing a deer in the Forests of Thuringia, he climbed atop a 600 foot ridge and was so astonished with the view he cried "Wait, Mountain, you shall be my fortress" (= Wart, Burg...). With no natural water supply, it was fortunate the magnificent castle successfully withstood its only siege, by the Lords of Eisenach in 1306-7.

Wartburg Castle was first known for the Sängerkrieg (Minstrels' War) which began in 1207 and takes place to this day in the beautiful Singers' Hall in the Palas. Richard Wagner made the contest famous in his opera "Tannhäuser." Wartburg was the home of Hungarian Princess Elizabeth, married at age 14 in 1221 to Count Ludwig IV. She was so dedicated to helping the poor and sick that she became one of the first Franciscan nuns after Ludwig's death and was sainted four years after her death at age 24. Martin Luther was sequestered in Wartburg after being excommunicated by Pope Leo X in 1517 -- it was Luther's translation of the New Testament into German in the Bailiff's Quarters at the castle which was the catalyst for the Protestant Reformation. The poet Johann von Goethe greatly loved Wartburg, writing from the castle and establishing a museum there.

The greatest growth of the castle took place between 1190 and 1217 under Count Hermann I, with major repairs done after lightning damage in 1317. The castle fell into disrepair in the eighteenth century, with massive renovations done between 1838 and 1890 by the Dukes of Saxony. The first pictures above and below this text show Wartburg's gatehouse, next above is Luther's room, then four views of the Palas (Great Hall) and inner courtyard, and finally the cistern, where collected water saved the castle from siege. My model, just completed in time for Reformation Sunday 2001, is built in three connectable sections and totals nine feet, three inches in length! You can see pictures of Wartburg Castle at my church, plus read the article on the front page of the Life section on the Decatur Herald & Review newspaper, plus see the breakdown of the final brick count of the castle by clicking on the link in this sentence. The castle also spent 10 days at the Lutheran School in Decatur.

It is now 16 years later, the fall of 2017, and rapidly approaching is the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's nailing of his 95 Theses on the public entry doors of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. Our new pastor at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Decatur, Illinois, Rita Augsberger, asked if I might consider a Lego project for display in honor of that event. I was quick to reply that I would not be reconstructing my model of Die Wartburg, as there were way too many other castles in my comparatively short future (at age 74) to redo a large project like Wartburg. But if you are interested in what I did create, you can select this Reformation link.


Plan of Wartburg	Wartburg Drawing

Photos of the Lego Model
Under Construction in September-October 2001


Laid out September 3, the castle will be 9'-2" long!!	By September 8 inklings of the mountain ridge and castle can be seen.	Beneath the forming south tower is the substance of the Lego mountain.	The gatehouse at the north end of the castle is taking shape too.	It's an uphill walk from the gatehouse to the top of the ridge.


The South Tower and all important cistern are done on September 13.	Work returns to the north end of the . castle...	...with the gatehouse, prison and east walkwalk completed September 17.	Work returns to the Palas and bathhouse near the cistern...	...and the impressive structure is finished on September 22.


Now the time has arrived to begin work on the center section.	The east side of the castle rises from the apex of the ridge.	By October 3, the inner gate and donjon are completed and...	...final touches are done to the east curtain wall.

Photos of the Lego Model
September- October, 2001


Wartburg from the west southwest.	And from the west.	And from the northeast.	The only entrance is through the gatehouse.	The beautiful Tudor east wallwalk.


From the gatehouse it's a climb up into the outer ward.	The rocky top of the 600 foot ridge can be seen here and there.	The inner ward is guarded by a second gatehouse!	The inner ward slopes back down the ridge...	...as can also be seen from the south end.	The tall donjon crowns the ridge in the inner ward.


The "Palas" is so beautiful, it was copied at Neuschwanstein.	The ladies of Wartburg stayed in the residence with the best fireplace.	While the plain "Dirnitz" housed the servants.	The "cottage" is a quaint sight near the cistern.	The drawbridge is closed at day's end...

...so Martin Luther tell of
his concerns in the safe
confines of Die Wartburg!

Build Your Own

Lego Plan Part 1	Lego Plan Part 2	Lego Plan Part 3


North Elevation (preliminary)	West Elevation Part 1	West Elevation Part 2	West Elevation Part 3


South Elevation	East Elevation Part 1	East Elevation Part 2	East Elevation Part 3