Around 1300, a knight Conrad von Tronecken was first mentioned in writing, and a little later the "Troneck Fortress", which is probably much older. Some also consider it to be the ancestral home of the hero of the Nibelungenlied, Hagen von Tronje. The castle in Dhronecken was the administrative seat of the Dhronecken district, which was also called Mark Thalfang. From 1309, it served as the retirement home of the last Templar provincial master and grand prior for Upper Germany, Friedrich Wildgraf von Kyrburg. The Wildgraf castle was unsuccessfully besieged by the Elector of Trier in 1403. It was the residence of the Wildgraf's bailiff until 1798. After the period of French rule, in 1817, it became the official residence of a Prussian head forester. Destroyed several times, by Cologne, imperial and French troops, and finally by an earthquake, only remnants remain, but one corner tower can still be climbed.
Below the castle there is a natural playground on both sides of the Thalfanger stream. A water ford with jumping stones, a forum-like play and meeting place rising up the slope, made of mighty stone blocks, wooden footbridges over natural swampy terrain, playhouses, a suspension bridge and a slide are the first attractions for children and adults.
Currently (9/2021) the playground is closed due to material damage!
Update 6/2022: The playground has been repaired and the castle is now part of the new Lecker Pfädchen dream loop. This includes a well-stocked gourmet station, where you can take various drinks (water, lemonade, wine, beer and shandy, also non-alcoholic) from a large refrigerator by inserting cash into a cash register. Several picnic benches have also been set up for this purpose.