Neudahn near Dahn/Germany
Posted by: 
KaPsTeam
N 49° 09.770 E 007° 45.444
32U E 409410 N 5446300
Neudahn Castle is situated a few kilometres west of Dahn. A ten minute steep walk leads to the ruin.
Waymark Code: WM4VD9
Location: Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
Date Posted: 10/01/2008
Views: 65
Neudahn was probably built in the first half of the 13 th century by the Speyer Ministeriale Heinrich Mursel of Dahn, called von Kropsburg. After the death of Heinrich Mursel’s descendants in 1327, the Speyer bishopric granted the castle as a fief to the knight Johann III. of Dahn, together with Altdahn Castle. After his death in 1353 Neudahn together with three quarters of the Tanstein Castle was inherited by his second son Heinrich.
After Heinrich, who also named himself after Neudahn, the castle was inherited by his oldest, still minor son Johann V.in 1372. At approximately this time the Electors of the Pfalz obtained their first access to the castle. A feud between Heinrich Eckbrecht of Dürkheim and the brothers Johann and Heinrich of Dahn enabled the counts Palatine to obtain the entrance right of Neudahn.
Neudahn was damaged during the so called “Vierherrenkrieg”, the war of the four sovereigns. A settlement in 1438 between Heinrich of Dahn the Young and Heinrich of Geroldseck resulted with the Bishop Reinhard of Speyer granting Heinrich Neudahn and Tanstein as a fief in 1439.
The castle was also involved in the Sickingen Feud. In 1523 Archbishop Richard of Trier, Elector Ludwig V. of the Pfalz and Count Philipp I. of Hessen demanded Heinrich of Neudahn to surrender the fortress. Heinrich was able to avert their threat to burn down the castle through diplomatic negociations and reference to the Bishop of Speyer, who had granted him the castle as a fief.
Neudahn was frequently restored and renovated, in the first half of the 16 th century it was modernized to meet military requirements. These architectural projects were so extensive that they were in essence a complete reconstruction. The death of Ludwig of Dahn in 1603 ended the sovereignty of this former Ministerale’s lineage.
The castle and its sovereignty were returned to the bishop of Speyer and the Hochstift. An episcopal administrator was appointed to the seat at Neudahn. This changed after the destruction of the castle during the Succession War of the Pfalz in 1689. The administrator transferred his official seat to Dahn, as Neudahn was not reconstructed. Conservation work, renovations and reconstructions followed in the last centuries.
Accessibility: Full access
Condition: Intact
Admission Charge?: no
Website: [Web Link]
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