埃尔福特附近的瓦克森堡城堡, 德国 Wachsenburg Castle near Erfurt, Germany (© Radius Images/Offset by Shutterstock)

埃尔福特附近的瓦克森堡城堡, 德国 Wachsenburg Castle near Erfurt, Germany (© Radius Images/Offset by Shutterstock)

A reflection of Europe's past

Today we're in the central German state of Thuringia to visit Wachsenburg Castle. It's the most famous of a trio of medieval hilltop castles collectively referred to as 'Drei Gleichen' (Three of a Kind) because of their close resemblance. Wachsenburg was originally built by the Hersfeld Monastery sometime in the early 10th century as a fortified castle, but it underwent significant changes over the centuries.

As might be expected of a building nearly 1,100 years old, the castle has housed many different occupants in its time, some of them notorious. Through most of its history it was used as a defensive fortress, and by the 13th century the Counts of Mühlburg had added a moat to help fend off invaders from nearby Hungary. Later, in the mid-15th century, an infamous brigand and wayward knight named Apel von Vitzthum conquered Wachsenburg. He used it as a base to carry out raids against merchants in the nearby town of Erfurt before the locals finally banded together to put an end to his pillaging. The Duke of Saxony took control of the fortress in 1710, but by the late 18th century, it was being used as prison. These days, Wachsenburg plays a different role in the local community. Following a number of renovations, including a major one in the 1990s, it's now a tourist destination complete with restaurant, hotel, and museum.

欧洲历史的反映

今天我们在德国中部的图林根州参观瓦克森堡城堡。它是三座中世纪山顶城堡中最著名的一座，因为它们非常相似，所以被统称为“Drei Gleichen”（一种三座）。瓦克森堡最初是由赫斯菲尔德修道院建于10世纪初的某个时候，作为一个设防的城堡，但它经历了几个世纪的重大变化。

正如人们所料，这座有着近1100年历史的建筑，在它的时代里居住着许多不同的居住者，其中一些人臭名昭著。在其历史的大部分时间里，它被用作防御堡垒，到了13世纪，缪尔堡伯爵又加了一条护城河，以帮助抵御附近匈牙利的入侵者。后来，在15世纪中叶，一个臭名昭著的土匪和任性的骑士命名为阿佩尔冯维茨图姆征服了瓦克森堡。他以这里为基地，对附近埃尔福特镇的商人进行突袭，直到当地人最终联合起来，结束了对他的掠夺。1710年，萨克森公爵控制了这座要塞，但到了18世纪末，它被用作监狱。如今，瓦克森堡在当地社区扮演着不同的角色。经过多次翻修，包括上世纪90年代的一次大型翻修，现在它已成为一个旅游胜地，拥有餐厅、酒店和博物馆。