Trebsen Castle was probably built by Slavic Gaugraf Bucelinin 991 AD to protect the former Muldefurt, an important trade route. The castle was first mentioned in a document dated in May 1, 1161.
In 1494 the knight Georg von Saalhausen demolished the old castle and started building a new more representative castle without a defensive function. Around 1511, the electoral chamberlain Hans von Minckwitz became lord of the castle on Trebsen. Hi and his son completed the first major construction phase as a four-wing complex with stepped gables and diamond vaults.
In 1736, the bourgeois merchant Vincent Bauman from Hamburg became the owner of the castle. In 1738 he had the mighty round tower almost 18 meters in diameter in the castle courtyard demolished for the most part. With its building material and with the inclusion of older ground floor buildings, the south wing was rebuilt, as indicated by the keystone above the gate entrance. Baumann also had the palace gardens laid out in the English style, with the baroque garden pavilion being created.
Today the castle hosts weddings and historic restaurant.
References:Visby Cathedral (also known as St. Mary’s Church) is the only survived medieval church in Visby. It was originally built for German merchants and inaugurated in 1225. Around the year 1350 the church was enlarged and converted into a basilica. The two-storey magazine was also added then above the nave as a warehouse for merchants.
Following the Reformation, the church was transformed into a parish church for the town of Visby. All other churches were abandoned. Shortly after the Reformation, in 1572, Gotland was made into its own Diocese, and the church designated its cathedral.
There is not much left of the original interior. The font is made of local red marble in the 13th century. The pulpit was made in Lübeck in 1684. There are 400 graves under the church floor.