๐ฐ The ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต๐๐ฏ๐๐ฟ๐ด ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐บ - Cochem Imperial Castle - stands on a hill in Cochem by the Moselle river in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
Felix Berger auf Pixabay
๐ฐ While not entirely clear, it is assumed that Cochem Castle was built around 1000 by Count Palatine Ezzo. The castle is mentioned in documents in 1051 when Ezzoโs eldest daughter turned over the castle to her nephew Heinrich I.
๐ฐ In 1151, King Konrad III took the castle by force and thereby made it a Staufer Imperial Castle.
๐ฐ In 1688, the castle as well as the city of Cochem were occupied by French King Louis XIVโs, the sun king, troops. They destroyed the castle and much of the city.
๐ฐ A merchant from Berlin, Louis Ravenรฉ bought the ruin in 1868 for 300 Goldmark and, over the 10 years restored it to his liking.
๐ฐ In 1942, Cochem castle became property of the German Reich, and since 1978, it belongs to the city of Cochem.
Luna04 - Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1066063
Luna04 - Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1066050
โ๐๐ป๐ถ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ดโ
"Knippmontag" is a celebration on the Monday after White Sunday, the first Sunday after Easter, which takes place in Cochem on the โKnipp Meadowโ.
On White Sunday around 300 years ago, a castle servant was riding to visit his girl-friend when he saw a group of French troops. He overheard them planning an attack on Cochem Castle the next day. The servant turned around to inform the lord of what he had heard. The knights and servants armed themselves and were able to fight off the attackers. The lord was so thankful that he gave his servants Monday off.
That Monday, called ๐๐ป๐ถ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ด, is a holiday for the people of Cochem. When they hear the salute from the castle at 1pm it is their sign to grab their picnic equipment and food and make their way to ๐๐ป๐ถ๐ฝ๐ฝ-๐ช๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ above the castle. There they meet with others, talk, eat, and drink. The โ๐๐๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐โ (personal wine jug) with a โ๐ ๐๐๐ฟโ (carrot) as a stopper is a must. Often there is music by a local club, and a good time is had by everybody.
Copper engraving 1567
For more info about and photos https://www.rhein-zeitung.de/region/aus-den-lokalredaktionen/kreis-cochem-zellartikel,-knippmontag-der-hoechste-feiertag-in-cochem-arid,1968498.html
Tours of the courtyards and interiors are available. The cafรฉs are open. More information on https://reichsburg-cochem.de/?lang=en