Hutsberg Castle

Oral traditions speak of fortifications on the Hutsberg as early as the 4th century, but there is no archaeological or written evidence for this. The oldest verifiable structural elements of Hutsburg are dated to the late 12th century, while the first documented mention comes from 1273. At this time, the castle had developed into a robber baron's nest. King Rudolph then ordered the securing of trade routes, whereupon Count Berthold of Henneberg-Schleusingen captured and destroyed the castle around 1275 with the support of the cities of Erfurt, Nuremberg, and Würzburg. In 1383, the Counts of Henneberg had Hutsburg rebuilt as a strategic stronghold on the southwestern border of their territory and appointed their own castellans.