Keudellsches Castle (Wanfried)

The castle is named after the Keudell family, who were presumably settled in the Werra valley as early as the 12th century and most recently had their main seat in Schwebda. At the time of the Staufer Emperor Frederick II, a Keudell is first mentioned as a knight in a Hessian document in 1227. In 1968, the name of this Hessian noble family died out with Rudolf von Keudell after over 750 years.

The von Keudells zu Fürstenstein had acquired the estate in Wenefriede in 1430 from a family von Preusen, which is described in a document from 1334 as an old-established, respected noble family in Wanfried. In addition to the castle fief – today's castle – the family also owned an outwork (formerly called "Siedelhof") and resided on this "noble free castle seat" at the Untertor. The von Preusen family presumably died out as early as 1465.

The castle was already mentioned in 1334 as "castrum Wenefrydin". Renovations took place in 1609-19, it burned down in 1878 and was rebuilt. Owners included the Landgraves of Hesse, the Lords of Eschwege, the Lords of Baumbach, in 1409 the Lords of Keudell, and in 1881 Karl Xaver von Scharfenberg.