Mühlburg Castle

The Mühlburg Castle was first mentioned in 704 in a gift deed of Duke Hedans II to the Bishop Willibrod von Utrecht as "castello mulenberge". According to a legend it was built as early as in 319. The oldest identifiable parts however, date back to the 13th century, for instance the donjon. On the area of the outer bailey Radegundis chapel is documented, of which the foundations can still be seen and which reminds of the last princess Radegunde (520-587), who is still celebrated as a Saint nowadays. The history of the castle during the 12th and 13th centuries is mainly characterised by the nobles of Meinhard von Mühlburg. Duke Meinhard III for instance was responsible for the courtship of the landgrave of Thuringia and accompanied Saint Elisabeth from Hungary to Thuringia. The Mühlburg became famous with the series of novels "Die Ahnen" ("The Ancestors") by the poet Gustav Freytag, a written memorial of the castle. The hiking trail, which connects the Mühlburg with the castle Veste Wachsenburg, has been named after him.