August 24, 2014

Castle Hedera

Of course, this is not the real name of this castle.
But the massive growth of ivy on its walls made for a good name that also nicely conceals the real name and therefore also the location.
The town itself dates back to the 11th century when a local nobleman built the first house and courtyard as the ancestral seat for his family.
A descendant of this family built the castle in the 19th century.
The first construction phase on the red brick mansion was finished in 1859.
In 1877, it was expanded with a side wing, a portal and a large terrace.

The family lived in the castle until the end of World War II.
The castle was confiscated by the British occupying force and later used to accomodate expellees.
After that, the mansion was used as a lung sanatorium.
Until 1986, the castle served as rehabilitation facility for mentally and physically handicapped children.
Since 1987, the building stands deserted and decays just like the surrounding area.

It wasn't easy to get on the premises, the village is pretty busy and there are lots of cars going by. The mansion itself is in a desolate state. The upper floors are collapsing on the lower ones and it really didn't look safe to enter, so we just went around and took a couple of outside shots.













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