Normannstein Castle

The castle's origins likely date back to the 9th century, when a watchtower with a round tower and surrounding wall was built here. Around 1200, the noble family of Treffurt expanded it into a castle, adding two square towers, a gatehouse, and the Knappenbau. Later, an outer bailey with its own ring wall completed the complex. The Knights of Treffurt, who served the Thuringian landgraves, used the castle as their residence. By the end of the 13th century, they became robber knights, leading to sieges in 1333 and again in 1336 by the Archbishop of Mainz and the Landgraves of Thuringia and Hesse. After the final expulsion of the Treffurt knights, the castle was jointly administered. A chapel building was added in 1417.