Reckenberg Castle (Lichtenfels)

The origins of Reckenberg date back to the early Middle Ages when the Imperial Abbey of Corvey influenced the area and had castles like Reckenberg built to secure its possessions. The first documented mention of the moated castle dates to 1350. In 1369, the castle was enfeoffed to Dietrich von Eppe, whose family held the estate until their extinction in 1785 and expanded it multiple times. In 1671, Major General Philipp Elmerhaus von Eppe had the old moated castle demolished, preserving the cellar vaults and two towers. On these remains, the current castle and the associated dairy buildings were constructed. After the death of the last Eppe, the fief passed to Franz Dietrich von Ditfurth. The secularization at the beginning of the 19th century led to the fief being converted into allodial property in 1811.