Henneburg Castle

The origins of Henneburg, originally called Burg Prozelten, date back to the 12th century. Timo de Bratselde, bailiff of the St. Peter and Alexander collegiate church in Aschaffenburg, is considered the founder of the castle district and initiator of a precursor building. Later, Conradus Colbo, cupbearer to Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, took over the rule. Romanesque wall remains in the large keep and eastern palas date from this early construction phase. In the 13th century, the castle changed hands several times, including the Counts of Wertheim, Hanau, and Henneberg. In 1320, the entire property came into the hands of the Teutonic Order, which held the castle for about 150 years and carried out extensive Gothic alterations. These included the construction of the small keep and the western palas, as well as the erection of defensive structures for gunpowder weapons. In 1484, the Teutonic Order exchanged the castle with the Archbishopric of Mainz. From 1493, the first signs of decay appeared, exacerbated by a storm.