Marburg Castle

The castle's beginnings date back to the 11th century when it was built as a fortress. After the extinction of the Landgraves of Thuringia in 1247, Marburg became the first residence of the newly founded Landgraviate of Hesse under Henry I. In 1308, Henry's son Otto moved the landgrave's seat to Kassel, causing Marburg to lose significance. Between 1458 and 1500, it again served as the residence of a collateral line. Under Landgrave Philip the Magnanimous, the castle gained new importance in the 16th century when the Reformation was introduced here in 1526 and the Marburg Colloquy took place in 1529. After Philip's death, Marburg again became the residence of a partial county.