Oberkalbach Area Castles

OBERKALBACH, HESSEN, GERMANY

Village of My Berthold and Ullrich Ancestors

OBERKALBACH AREA CASTLES

The castle Brandenstein is close to the villages of Elm, Hutten, Gundhelm and Herolz. The first construction of a permanent building took place about 1250 A.D. Thereafter followed many additions and renovatins over a 600 year period of changing ownership.

The castle is still inhabited today and also is home to a wood tool museum. The translation on the link is terrible because it is automatic but you can figure out what it means most of the time.

The castle Schwarzenfels is about 12 kilometers south of Oberkalbach, closest to the villages of Mottgers, Oberzell, Weichersbach and Zuentersbach. It is mostly a ruin.The link takes you to small pictures that enlarge when you click on them. The English translation is terrible but better than nothing if you don't read German.

According to the book "Berkwinkel Chronik" by Wilhelm Praesent, a time-line history of the county of Schluechtern, the first mention of the castle Schwarzenfels in history was in 1280 A.D. when Ulrich I. of Hanau allowed the Margarete Chapel to be built in the castle. In 1305 the castle chaplain was Hermann; a chaplain Hartmann died in 1378; then a cleric named Konrad Wibel was mentioned.

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