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Founded: 13th centuryCategory: Castles and fortifications in Germany
Historical period: Hohenstaufen Dynasty (Germany)
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As early as the 12th century there was a small predecessor castle on the site of a former Roman villa rustica from the 2nd to 4th century in the present village of Welschbillig.
From 1242 to 1299 the fortifications of the castle were significantly strengthened by the Prince-Elector of Trier, Arnold II of Isenburg and, later, the Landesburg was further expanded by his successors. During the so-called Dutch War the castle was destroyed in 1673/74 by troops of the French 'sun king' Louis XIV and from 1889 to 1891 the southern side was demolished to build a church.
The castle built over the remains of the Roman villa survive today as the remains of a large, quadrangular castle with moats. Still visible are the gateway with its two round towers, a stone bridge over the moat and the remains of the northwest tower.
The Roman villa was built in the shape of the letter 'U' next to a 58.3 by 17.8 metre water basin, which was originally surrounded 112 hermas. 71 of the hermas may be seen in the Rheinisches Landesmuseum Trier.
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.