Buchfart Castle

The Buchfart Rock Castle was probably built in the 10th century. It is considered a unique feature in the Thuringian castle landscape. The complex consisted of about twelve chambers and passages, which extended up to 40 meters above the valley floor. The original access situation and the outer walls are no longer reconstructable. In its heyday, the castle offered the best possible protection against attackers, but on the other hand, the living conditions within the castle were certainly extreme. The complex was abandoned as early as 1440. Meanwhile, nature has destroyed a significant part of the castle. In 2009, extensive stabilization work on the rock face was necessary - it is now hoped that a large part of the remaining ruin has been saved. The Counts of Orlamünde, Landgrave Balthasar of Thuringia (1393) and Count Otto (1395) are named as lords of the castle.

The Buchfart Rock Castle also attracted researchers. As early as 1551, the mineralogist and mining expert Georgius Agricola ascended to the chambers of the rock castle, as he was vividly assured that troglodytes - dwarfish "underground creatures" - had once lived there. In 1822, the local historian Karl Gräbner spent days examining the legendary castle complex and published the book "The Old Mountain Castle Buchfart in the Grand Duchy of Weimar" about it.