AufRuhr 1225!
Of Knights, Castles and Intrigues ...
Photo: LWL Museum of Archaeology/M. Göhre
The Ruhr’s biggest ever exhibition on the Middle Ages will be shown at the LWL Museum of Archeology in Herne from February 27 to November 11, 2010. The history of the Ruhr during the medieval era will come to life in a tale of murder and feuds, power and battles, knights and nobles, based on the lives and death of the Archbishop Engelbert of Cologne and his rival Friedrich von Isenberg.
Visitors will be able to take an exciting journey though the world of knights and castles on more than 1,500 square metres of exhibition space filled with spectacular stagings that include many valuable exhibits. In addition to weapons, suits of armour and gold relics, the exhibition will also show intriguing and less familiar sides of the Middle Age: Why were the murdered archbishop’s blood-stained clothes displayed at the king’s wedding banquet? And why were the hands of an executed man considered a lucky charm?
The pre-industrial roots of the Ruhr metropolis
Nowadays, most people associate smokestacks, mining shafts, noise and dust with the Ruhr. Few know that the region had among the largest number of castles anywhere in Europe. The murder of the Achbishop Engelbert I. of Cologne 1225 in the heart of the Ruhr had far-reaching impact on virtually all of today’s North Rhine-Westphalia. Castles were burnt down, noblemen were executed, vicious battles took place all over the area. The exhibition brings these times of unrest (German = Aufruhr, as in the exhibition’s title) back to life and lets the scientists working on it look for traces of an almost forgotten part of history.
One of the historians’ projects: Creating an overview of the hundreds of castles that stood between the Ruhr and Emscher rivers. While some were made of rock, many more were built of wood, standing on hilltops, and did not survive the passing of time. One such castle will be reconstructed as part of the exhibition in the space outside of the museum in downtown Herne - 24 metres high and with many of the original furnishings.
The exhibition will also feature exhibits at 11 additional castles in the area, allowing for a whole new look at the Ruhr.
February 27 - November 28, 2010
Tu/Wed/Fr 9:00 - 17:00
Th 9:00 - 19:00
Sat/Sun/holidays 11:00 - 18:00
LWL Museum of Archeology, Herne, Westfälisches Landesmuseum
You can find further information (in German) at
www.aufruhr1225.de