Mackenzell Castle

In 1146, the Knights of Mackenzell were first mentioned in documents. At this time, the castle was still unfortified. It was not until 1253 that walls and ramparts were fortified by Prince-Abbot Heinrich IV von Erthal. In 1273, Prince-Abbot Bertho IV von Biembach conquered and destroyed the castle. From 1334, the castle belonged to the families of Bimbach and Schenkenwald; later, the von Buchenau family acquired the majority of it. In 1415, the castle came into the possession of the Fulda Prince-Abbot. A coat of arms above the entrance to the stair tower still bears witness to this today. An expansion into a palace took place from 1606–1622 by the Abbot of Schwalbach. With the renovation in 1923, it was given a new use as a chief forester's office. In 1952, the castle was acquired by the municipality and rented to housing seekers. After passing into private ownership in 1962, a castle hotel was operated for several years. Today, the castle serves as a sanatorium for the Good Templar Order.