Kohren Castle

The origins of Kohren Castle lie in the early Middle Ages, when the region was settled by Slavs. Although an endowment by Emperor Otto II to the Bishop of Merseburg in 974 did not yet mention Kohren, Bishop Thietmar of Merseburg reported around 1010 that Chorin was among the properties gifted at that time. Thietmar himself spent ten days in Kohren in 1018, suggesting the existence of a fortified estate. From 1190, the noble lords of Kohren appeared as imperial free owners, establishing their rule during the German eastward expansion. In 1216, they supported Leipzig in a conflict with Margrave Dietrich of Meissen, which led to the castle's destruction in 1220. By around 1240, the castle had already been rebuilt, with the visible structures dating from this period. Approximately 50 years later, it was expanded with a second keep. The immediate imperial rule of the lords of Kohren ended in the early 14th century.