Ahen some citizens from the Spessart municipality of Eschau founded an association to save Wildenstein Castle 25 years ago, they could hardly have guessed what a marathon stretch lay ahead of them. In view of the overgrown heap of rubble, carefully estimated ten years of service, the “Burgfreude” are still doing their Saturday shifts with no end in sight. Despite the accessibility, scaffolding is likely to characterize the picture on a wooded mountain spur for a long time.
The helpers must feel like Sisyphus. While the Palas is currently being repaired, nature has already reclaimed parts that were initially restored. But hard work also brings results. Zwinger, gates and a smaller tower are standing again, but above all the deep neck moat and the wall ring with its Staufer hump ashlars have been impressively renewed.
A demonstrative act against the archbishops of Mainz
Accompanying archaeological investigations dated it much earlier than the first mention in 1260, just as five major expansions and conversions could be proven up to the 17th century under the impression of changed power and defense requirements. Even in the Palas, the windows became loopholes. The whole effort for the walls erected somewhat off the beaten track in a side valley of the Elsava was seen as a demonstrative act by the Counts of Rieneck against their intimate enemies, the Archbishops of Mainz.
The gentlemen of the Spessart reacted accordingly. Several times they had the Wildenstein besieged and harsh conditions dictated. Nevertheless, the Rieneckers, who were actually based in the Lohr area, held the lower Elsava valley until they died out in 1559. However, Mainz did not get a chance afterwards because of complicated fiefdoms. Instead, the Counts of Erbach got hold of a tip, and they still own the castle today.
Descend and ascend 300 meters
The fact that the plant was built strategically rather unfavorably on a hillside and not on the Geishöhe towering 520 meters behind it is probably related to the disadvantage of a high plateau. Its open location eluded settlement for a long time before people moved up the hill from the narrow Spessart valleys for livestock farming in the early 18th century, from which a permanent colony grew.
Even if there are no longer 100 farmers and woodworkers like there were 150 years ago, the Geishöhe remained the highest Spessartort, including an inn with boarding house. Thanks to the road, you no longer have to walk to the Dammbachtal to go to church or school. Up until 1972, about 2000 times in a primary school life, the children had to climb down and back up more than 300 meters. Since 2006, an “Alter Schulweg adventure trail” that has been wonderfully adapted to the rocky terrain with sandstone steps and “boulders” has been a reminder of this difficult educational path.
Directions
The start is at the “Neuhammer” bus stop between the Hobbach district of Eschau and Wintersbach, which is part of Dammbach; next door is a large parking lot for hikers with signposts. From this one picks out the stylized woodpecker (green-blue) of Spessart Fernroute 2 (supplemented by one of the blue Spessart cultural routes).