Ringelstein Castle (Ruin) (Harth)

The noble lords of Büren began constructing Ringelstein Castle around 1385. As early as 1383, they accepted a fief from Archbishop Friedrich of Cologne for a new castle to be built at a place called “Nyeburgh boyven Buren vor dem Walde,” which had already been mentioned in 1376 as “nyen borch boven Buren.” The castle was intended to serve as an outpost in the Alme Valley and was half-owned by the Davensbergers and half by the Archbishop of Cologne. In 1394, the Davensbergers pledged their share to Johann von Scharfenberg. It was not until 1399 that the castle was redeemed by Berthold von Büren and first mentioned by name as Ringelstein. In 1458, the castle was enfeoffed to the Landgrave of Hesse. An inventory from 1574 indicates that Ringelstein served as a hunting lodge for the noble lords of Büren at that time.