Major fire damage being cleared at German castle

16th-century Schloss Ebelsbach destroyed

By Lucian Harris | Web only
Published online 29 Oct 09 (News)

The Schloss' charred roof beams (shown here shortly after the fire) have been removed (Photo: BR-online)

london. Emergency safety measures are in place and the clearing of debris has begun on a Renaissance-period castle in southern Germany, which was destroyed by a fire in mid-September, causing damage estimated by police at several million euros. The roof of the structure has already been removed and its charred beams have been stacked in the yard of the house, as construction of a new temporary roof is being completed. The 16th-century Schloss Ebelsbach, the main landmark in the small Barvarian village of Ebelsbach, was built between 1564 and 1569 by Baron Matthew von Rotenhan. The fire, which occurred on the night of 10 September, proved particularly difficult to control and also destroyed the gardens and a number of outlying buildings of the castle that was originally surrounded by a deep moat. The owner of the house since 2000 is reported to be a Cologne-based businessman.