The Krögelstein castle ruins are located in the Krögelstein district of the town of Hollfeld. The noble free from Krögelstein, which were perhaps related to the also noble whale pots, are documented for the period from 1149 to 1239. It can be assumed that the Spornburg already existed at this time, but it was only mentioned in a document in 1328 as castrum. After the family died out in the middle of the 13th century, the castle came to the Bamberg bishopric. Bishop Wulfing von Stubenberg (1304–1319) pledged it in 1313 to the Bamberg cathedral chapter. Since 1400, the castle was predominantly owned by Bamberg officialsmanaged. It has been proven that it was in the hands of the von Aufseß family, then the von Giech family until it was destroyed in 1523.
On October 17, 1500, the Bamberg Prince-Bishop Heinrich III Groß von Trockau (1487–1501) returned the castle from the cathedral chapter. He gave it to Dietz von Giech as a man loan from the Bamberg monastery. Georg Wolf von Giech was married to Ottilie von Absberg, the sister of the notorious robber baron Hans Thomas von Absberg. Since he often gave shelter to his brother-in-law at the castle, the castle was destroyed in 1523 by the Swabian Federation. There was no reconstruction.
All that remains of the former castle is a buttress arch with three window slots on a dolomite rock west of the parish church.
The parish church is the former castle chapel, built around 1250, which has been used as a parish church since 1421. It has today's shape from Georg Dietrich von Giech zu Wiesentfels, Niederlind and Krögelstein. He died on July 26th, 1607. A bronze epitaph commemorates him. The keystone in the choir vault, dating back to 1607, also bears the Giech coat of arms.
References:The Gravensteen is a castle in Ghent originating from the Middle Ages. The name means 'castle of the counts' in Dutch. Arnulf I (918–965), Count of Flanders, was the first to fortify this place, building a medieval bastion on this high sand dune, naturally protected by the river Leie and its marshy banks. This bastion consisted of a central wooden building and several surrounding buildings, also in wood.
In the early 11th century, the wooden building was replaced by a stone residence, consisting of three large halls that made up three storeys, connected by a stone stairwell. The monumental stone staircase, the light openings, the fireplaces built into the walls and the latrines were signs of considerable luxury and comfort in those days. There was probably also a tower.