The ruins of the Ramburg castle stand on the Schlossberg above the village of Ramberg in the Palatinate region. The river Dernbach, the left-hand headstream of the Eisbach) flows through the valley. Ramburg was built in the 12th century under the House of Hohenstaufen as an imperial castle for the protection of Trifels Castle. It is recorded as the seat of imperial ministeriales from 1163.
In 1519, Hans of Ramburg, the last member of the House of Ramburg, sold his castle to the Dalbergs. Six years later the castle was completely razed during the Peasants' War.
In 1540 the ruins were sold to the counts of Löwenstein. After being totally destroyed by a lightning strike in 1560 it was rebuilt as a residential castle again.
The castle was plundered during the Thirty Years' War, but not destroyed. Until 1638 it remained occupied as district office (Amtsitz), but fell into increasing disrepair and was used as a quarry in the early 18th century.
From the valley the impressive remains of the mighty shield wall and the palas are still visible. In addition, a neck ditch, several wall remains and a huge rock cellar have survived.
References:Visby Cathedral (also known as St. Mary’s Church) is the only survived medieval church in Visby. It was originally built for German merchants and inaugurated in 1225. Around the year 1350 the church was enlarged and converted into a basilica. The two-storey magazine was also added then above the nave as a warehouse for merchants.
Following the Reformation, the church was transformed into a parish church for the town of Visby. All other churches were abandoned. Shortly after the Reformation, in 1572, Gotland was made into its own Diocese, and the church designated its cathedral.
There is not much left of the original interior. The font is made of local red marble in the 13th century. The pulpit was made in Lübeck in 1684. There are 400 graves under the church floor.