Mattsies Castle

The castle was built as a high castle by the Lords of Mattsies from 1202-1220. In 1246, the castle was first mentioned in a document as "Novo Castro Mazzensiez" (new Mattsies castle). In 1456, the castle was destroyed on the orders of Emperor Frederick III and immediately rebuilt afterwards. In 1458, ownership passed to the "von Stein" family. In 1525, the castle was destroyed in the Peasants' War and rebuilt. In the 16th century, a renovation took place. Later, ownership passed to the Lords of Ellerbach.

In 1905, the new owner of the castle, Walter von Rougemont, had the castle extended in a south-westerly direction by an annex, which is topped with a conical roof. During the renovation, it was found that the entire north-east quarter of the castle building, whose intermediate wall, over a meter thick and reaching up to the fourth floor, was striking, originally stood as a free tower and was only incorporated when the high castle was built - at the beginning of the 13th century. Built and vaulted in the lower part from tuff stones, this watchtower may be of Roman origin. In the uppermost floor of the high castle, old walled-up shooting niches also came to light, four on the gable side, six on the long side, which had recently been partly broken out into windows, partly walled up. Also noteworthy was the exposed foundation of a small round tower - on even older building remains 2-3 meters away from the south-western corner of the castle and a walled-up exit pointing between the 2nd and 3rd floors. All this, as well as thick layers of fire in the rubble, speaks of great, partly violent changes to the old castle seat over the centuries. With a stately castle extension, Mattsies was recently transformed into a modern country estate.