Items found on the schlossfelsen

Stoves in the renaissance castle

In Saarbrücken's renaissance castle, tiled stoves were a sign of residential comfort. Unlike the simple open fireplaces or chimneys, they ensured better distribution of the warmth and made life in the castle more pleasant.

The large number of tiles found in the castle, in combination with architectural drawings by the master builder Henrich Höer (1585–1630), attests to the abundance of these stoves. The tiles consist of earthenware (open-pored fired ceramic) and have artistic embellishments.

They provide an insight, not only into the technical features, but also into the aesthetic standards and the craftsmanship of that period.

 

Relief tile 'Luke the Evangelist'
Beginning of 17th century
Fragment, graphite glaze
State Department of Saarland for Historical Monuments		 Seven different fragments of this tile motif of Luke the Evangelist have been discovered. The largest of them is on display here. It was made with the aid of two moulds, in which the clay slabs prepared for the tile were formed: the developed frame and the interior motif. Craftsmen were able to purchase these individually. So far, the combination of these two moulds has only been found on the schlossfelsen.

 

Fragments of stove tiles
17th century
Fragment, earthenware
State Department of Saarland for Historical Monuments		 Fragments of various different tiles in renaissance style reveal different motifs and representational elements. These are tile fragments from stoves from the renaissance castle. There were stoves in both representative areas and private rooms.

 

Elevation drawing of Saarbrücken's renaissance castle
Washed pen-and-ink drawing on paper
c. 1620, Henrich Höer (1585-1630)
Hessian Central State Archives, Wiesbaden		 This sketch shows an elevation of the 2nd floor of Saarbrücken's castle, in which a total of six tile stoves were depicted in various different designs. The master builder Henrich Höer documented Saarbrücken's renaissance castle and other Nassau castles in horizontal projections and three-dimensional elevations.