Schwanenburg Castle
Schlostorstrase 30, Kleve, Germany
Description:
Kleve is a city lying on the outskirts of the federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia, where the Rhine River leaves Germany to split into 2 parts in the Netherlands. The most famous attraction of Kleve is Schwanenburg Castle - the main symbol of the ducal city.
Schwanenburg is translated as Swan Fortress, as indicated by the figure of a swan decorating the tower of the building. Magnificent landscapes envelop the fortress from all sides, thereby calling to enjoy the extraordinary nature of Kleve. In 1092, the first written mention of Schwanenburg appears, which tells about Count Dietrich I of Cleves, who built a family castle on the Kleef plateau.
The thickness of the walls of the castle was 2.5 meters, and the castle itself was one of the greatest and luxurious castles on the Lower Rhine. In 1439, the main tower of the castle collapsed, and then the construction of the new tower was entrusted to the architect Johann Wirinberg, it lasted 13 years. It was then that the top of the tower was crowned with a swan. In the twentieth century a number of restoration works were carried out. Today, the castle houses the Kleve City Court and the Local History Museum.