Fire damages parts of 12th-century castle in central Germany

Parts of a 12th-century castle have been damaged in a fire in the central German state of Thuringia.

Firefighters were able to prevent the blaze from spreading to other parts of Runneburg Castle in the town of Weissensee, a police spokesman said.

The fire broke out late on Wednesday in a corner building of the fortified complex, directly next to a tall watchtower.

According to initial findings, no one was injured. The site was cordoned off, the spokesman said, and investigations into the cause of the fire were due to begin later on Thursday.

The extent of the damage to the castle was initially unclear, and the cause of the fire remained unknown.

The castle, built around 1170, is considered one of the most important examples of Romanesque architecture in Germany, according to the Thuringian Palaces and Gardens Foundation, which says the site preserves a rare amount of original building fabric from the High Middle Ages.

The foundation refers to Runneburg as the little sister of the nearby Wartburg Castle.

Franz Nagel, spokesman for the foundation, praised the efforts of the 80 firefighters at the scene.

"They managed to prevent the recently renovated palace tower from catching fire at the very last minute," said Nagel. "It was touch and go."

According to Nagel, the building that caught fire is the old kitchen. The wooden structure inside has been destroyed; only the outer walls of the building remain standing. The old kitchen is first mentioned in historical records in the 15th century. 

"Even though it was just an outbuilding, the loss is painful," Nagel continued. The kitchen, he explained, had been important for the architectural history of the complex and for explaining the castle’s functions.

The remaining sections of the walls must be examined to determine how they can be preserved, he added.