The first documented mention of Hohenstein Castle was in 1306, which at the time was owned by Countess Jutta von Henneberg. During the Peasants’ War the castle fell victim to a devastating attack. It was subsequently burned to the ground and rebuilt after. The new castle was designed in the Renaissance style. During the Thirty Years’ War, Hohenstein Castle again suffered severe damages, but was once again restored.
The castle chapel was built in the second half of the 17th century. The jewel of the chapel is the chancellery with a magnificently carved sound cover, which is dated 1688. Today the castle chapel is owned by the Imhoff family and is available for church weddings of both denominations.
In 1763 Philipp Ernst Freiherr von Imhof acquired Hohenstein Castle. He and his descendants gave the castle, as well as the property belonging to it, its present appearance.
Up until the 20th century, there were several changes of ownership. Eventually, a private citizen, Oskar Hacker from Munich, acquired the castle in 1976 and had it thoroughly restored – introducing a castle hotel with a restaurant. Today Hohenstein Castle is owned by the non-profit Oskar Hacker Foundation.
References:Manarola is a small town, a frazione of the comune of Riomaggiore. It is the second-smallest of the famous Cinque Terre towns frequented by tourists, with a population of 353.
Manarola may be the oldest of the towns in the Cinque Terre, with the cornerstone of the church, San Lorenzo, dating from 1338. The local dialect is Manarolese, which is marginally different from the dialects in the nearby area. The name 'Manarola' is probably a dialectical evolution of the Latin, 'magna rota'. In the Manarolese dialect this was changed to 'magna roea' which means 'large wheel', in reference to the mill wheel in the town.
Manarola's primary industries have traditionally been fishing and wine-making. The local wine, called Sciacchetrà, is especially renowned; references from Roman writings mention the high quality of the wine produced in the region.