Katlenburg Castle

The origins of Katlenburg date back to the 11th century when it was built by the Counts of Katlenburg. In 1105, the castle was converted into a monastery by Count Dietrich III and his wife Adela von Beichlingen and dedicated to St. John the Evangelist. After Dietrich's death in 1106, the comital line ended. In the 12th century, the complex housed Augustinian monks and later Augustinian nuns. The 14th century brought difficult times, including a fire in 1346 and the plague in 1348. During the Reformation, the monastery was secularized in 1534. From 1560 to 1595, Katlenburg served as a residence for Philip II of Grubenhagen, who had parts of the monastic buildings converted into a Renaissance castle.