Leuchtenburg Castle (Castelchiaro) above Lake Caldaro towers into the sky in the surroundings of Castel Varco in the locality of Vadena. The castle was probably constructed in 1250 by the Lords of Rottenburg. The castle complex has been protected by a circular wall which protected the castle complex from assaults. Due to the fact that the position of the castle is not really well-protected it has presumably been constructed in order to impress.
Numerous castles of the Rottenburg leadership have been razed after the conflicts with Frederick IV, Duke of Austria, in 1410, but not Leuchtenburg, which was handed over to the sovereigns and in the following years was lent to officials of Caldaro. After 1610 Leuchtenburg remained uninhabited and started decaying.
Only in the 20th century the walls of the ruins were conserved. Leuchtenburg consists of a circular wall inside which there were several residential buildings. However, today these buildings could only be preserved to some extend. However, there are also well-preserved rests of the great hall with frescos dating back to the 15th century.
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.