Hattstein Castle

Hattstein Castle (also called "Hazechenstein" or "Hatzechinstein") is the remnant of a spur castle on a wooded 665 m above sea level high mountain spur north of the Sängelberg between the municipality of Schmitten im Taunus and its district Oberreifenberg. Apart from a striking ditch around an elevation, only a few wall remains are visible today.

When exactly Hattstein Castle was built is not known. It is presumed that it existed before the nearby Reiffenberg Castle. The "Walsdorf Foundation Charter" from the year 1156 already mentions a "Guntramus de Hazechenstein", who was likely the lord of the castle there.

The Hattstein knights often acted as robber barons in the 14th century. As part of a Landfrieden execution, the castle was conquered in 1379 by troops of the Free Imperial City of Frankfurt and its allies. The Hattsteiners pledged to refrain from further raids and, in return, regained control over the castle. Despite this oath, raids continued, including one in 1387 on Thron Monastery. Two further punitive expeditions against Hattstein Castle in 1393 and 1428 failed, and the castle was not conquered.

Although the Hattsteiners were related to the Reiffenbergers, feuds broke out between the inhabitants of both castles. During the "Hattstein Feud" which lasted from 1428 to 1435, the Reiffenbergers, together with Frankfurt and Kurmainz, conquered Hattstein Castle in 1432. The castle was managed as a joint inheritance with Frankfurt and Mainz participation until 1468. In 1467, it was taken and razed by Walter von Reifenberg. The following year, the Hattsteiners regained their property. However, it took thirty years for the castle to be rebuilt. Thereafter, it was maintained less and less and gradually fell into disrepair. The lordship of Hattstein remained in the possession of the Hattstein knights, who, however, increasingly oriented themselves geographically towards the Wetterau in modern times.

In contrast to the allodial Reiffenberg Castle, Hattstein Castle was half a Trier fief. The allodial half was sold in 1614 by Philipp Georg von Hattstein to Johann Heinrich von Reifenberg. Since the purchase price was never fully paid, this led to a legal dispute that remained unresolved until the extinction of the Hattsteiners in 1767.