Triptis Castle

Of the medieval moated castle, only the keep remains today – in addition to wall remnants in the adjacent buildings.

According to the Triptis chronicle by J. Barthel, the round tower is said to have been built in the 9th century, during the time of the conflicts between Germans and Slavs. Around 961, the first round towers are said to have been erected in the area. The keep of Osterburg in Weida probably originated at the same time. The tower was not as high at the beginning as it is today, but lower. Allegedly, there were once 5 such towers in the Triptis area, but this cannot be precisely proven. The purpose of this fortification was to protect the trade route from Saalfeld to Gera and Leipzig, which led through the area, which at that time consisted almost exclusively of marshland and freshwater basins. The round tower was then expanded over time into a castle, which also included the dammed town pond as a water obstacle. The castle, first mentioned in documents in 1212, was probably built by the Lords of Lobdeburg–Arnshaugk.

In 1290 and 1300, the castle came into the possession of the Wettins. They enfeoffed (1328) and pledged (1331) the castle to the Lords Reuss of Plauen zu Greiz. In the so-called Vogtland War from 1354 to 1358 (the Vogts against the King of Bohemia and the House of Wettin), the castle was conquered and largely destroyed. The remaining facilities returned to the House of Wettin in 1358.