Hardtburg Castle, situated 245 metres above sea-level in the Hardtwald forest, is a very unusual castle, compared with other castles and farms. It was founded in the 11th century, which makes it one of the oldest local buildings. The two-part castle is surrounded on all sides by a moat and is situated at some distance from the nearest town. At the centre of the main castle is a hill excavated from the side of the valley, on which a square stone tower has always stood.
Today it retains the character of a medieval moated castle, as it has not been altered since its completion in the 14th century. Originally it belonged to the Earl of Are-Hochstaden; after his decease his last descendant, Earl Konrad von Hochstaden, Archbishop of Cologne, inherited the estate. Since the 17th it has progressively fallen into disrepair, due to lack of maintenance. Towards the end of the 18th century ownership was transferred to the Finance Ministry of France; around 1815 the State of Prussia established a forestry office here.
Today it belongs to the State of North Rhine/Westphalia and serves as the residence of the Hardtwald Forester.
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.