Burg Hattstein sits on a wooded spur of the Sängelberg between Schmitten im Taunus and Oberreifenberg. It was once called Hazechenstein. While its birth date is lost to time, a 1156 deed mentions a Guntramus de Hazechenstein, suggesting the site was already a seat of power before its neighbor, Burg Reifenberg, rose to prominence.
By the 14th century, the Hattstein knights became known as robber knights. In 1379, the Free Imperial City of Frankfurt sent troops to end the raids. A land peace execution was carried out, and the knights were forced to swear off further raids. In exchange for their commitment, they were allowed to receive the right of disposal of the castle back.
They kept the land but broke the oath. In 1387, the knights struck the Thron Monastery. Despite the legal weight of their promise, the violence continued. Frankfurt and its allies launched punitive expeditions in 1393 and 1428 to crack the fortress, but the knights held their ground both times.
Today, only a few remains of a curtain wall and a prominent ditch are visible around a mound. A narrow path runs along the side of the wall to a small terrace that has no view - a lonely resting place for a long, restless history.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Aurora
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