Scharfenberg Castle (popularly also called Münz), is the ruin of a medieval rock castle above the small South Palatine town of Annweiler.
Scharfenberg and its sister castles, Trifels and Anebos are known as the Trifels Group and are the symbol of Annweiler, which sprawls beneath them in the valley meadows of the River Queich. In the immediate vicinity lie the sites of two other castles, the Fensterfels and the Has.
The landmark of the castle is a 20-metre-high bergfried, whose walls are made of rusticated ashlars from the Hohenstaufen era. In addition, parts of the well tower and enceinte may still be seen.
Scharfenberg Castle was built in the first half of the 12th century under the Hohenstaufen king, Conrad III, who died in 1152. It was initially probably used as a state gaol. After its subsequent owners, a ministeriales family, had been named Scharfenberg, it became the seat of the most important member of the family in the early 13th centyr, the Bishop of Speyer and Chancellor of the Holy Roman Empire, Conrad III of Scharfenberg. Since its destruction during the Peasants' War in 1525, the castle has lain in ruins.
References:i believe i am a direct decendent my birth name was stacy william scharfenberg my grand father gave me a wooden arrow with "5 minuten " on it i was later adopted by joe m mims jr any information availible please forward it to stacymims2019@outlook.com
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.