A refuge castleCreighton, Oliver (2015). ''Early European Castles''. Bloomsbury. or refuge fort (german: Fliehburg, also ''Fluchtburg'', ''Volksburg'', ''Bauernburg'' or ''Vryburg'') is a

castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

-like defensive location, usually surrounded by ramparts, that is not permanently occupied but acts as a temporary retreat for the local population when threatened by war or attack. In former times such sites were also described as giant castles (German: ''Hünenburgen'') because their origin was ascribed to

giant In folklore, giants (from Ancient Greek: '' gigas'', cognate giga-) are beings of human-like appearance, but are at times prodigious in size and strength or bear an otherwise notable appearance. The word ''giant'' is first attested in 1297 fr ...

History

In Europe a multitude of large

protohistoric Protohistory is a period between prehistory and history during which a culture or civilization has not yet developed writing, but other cultures have already noted the existence of those pre-literate groups in their own writings. For example, in ...

sites surrounded by earthworks has been uncovered by archaeological excavations, many over 100 metres in diameter, that are understood to be refuge castles. Amongst

ancient Ancient history is a time period from the History of writing, beginning of writing and recorded human history to as far as late antiquity. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, beginning with the Sumerian language, Sumerian c ...

historical references to them are the refuge castles of the

Gauls The Gauls ( la, Galli; grc, Γαλάται, ''Galátai'') were a group of Celtic peoples of mainland Europe in the Iron Age and the Roman period (roughly 5th century BC to 5th century AD). Their homeland was known as Gaul (''Gallia''). They s ...

described by

Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman people, Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caes ...

as ''

oppida An ''oppidum'' (plural ''oppida'') is a large fortified Iron Age settlement or town. ''Oppida'' are primarily associated with the Celtic late La Tène culture, emerging during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, spread across Europe, stretchi ...

'', although they could also be permanent settlements. Similar

ringwork A ringwork is a form of fortified defensive structure, usually circular or oval in shape. Ringworks are essentially motte-and-bailey castles without the motte. Defences were usually earthworks in the form of a ditch and bank surrounding the site. ...

(''Ringwall'') systems were built by the various Germanic and Slavic tribes, the latter until well into the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

period. Such systems are also known as

hillfort A hillfort is a type of earthwork used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze Age or Iron Age. Some were used in the post-Roma ...

s (''Wallburgen''), the primary construction material being earth, but wood and stone were also used in a variety of construction methods. As a rule they have no towers, but occasionally superstructures resembling

gate tower A gate tower (german: Torturm) is a tower built over or next to a major gateway. Usually it is part of a medieval fortification. This may be a town or city wall, fortress, castle or castle chapel. The gate tower may be built as a twin tower on ...

s occur (see Bennigsen Castle). Refuge castles of this type belonged to unprotected farming communities and offered protection to the population of the local region in case of a hostile attack, whilst the settlements themselves usually fell victim to plundering and destruction by the aggressors. The large size of refuge castles enabled them to provide stores and supplies in the event of a

siege A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition warfare, attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity con ...

. Later on during the Middle Ages this type of castle was also built by local farmers. These "farmers' castles" provided protection for country folk from marauding bands of troops. Their fortifications generally had little in common with the castles erected by the

nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy (class), aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below Royal family, royalty. Nobility has often been an Estates of the realm, estate of the realm with many e ...

as residences, but often consisted just of earthworks and wooden

palisade A palisade, sometimes called a stakewall or a paling, is typically a fence or defensive wall made from iron or wooden stakes, or tree trunks, and used as a defensive structure or enclosure. Palisades can form a stockade. Etymology ''Palisade' ...

s sited in easily defensible locations on hilltops or spurs. Because the majority of refuge castles were not permanent settlements, archaeological excavations often produce little by way of finds. In the Middle Ages

fortified church A fortified church is a church that is built to serve a defensive role in times of war. Such churches were specially designed to incorporate military features, such as thick walls, battlements, and embrasures. Others, such as the Ávila Cathedra ...

es (''Wehrkirchen'') and

fortress church A fortress church (german: Kirchenburg) is a particular type of church that, in addition to its religious functions is also used by the local population as a retreat and defensive position, similar to a refuge castle. A fortress church usually imp ...

es (''Kirchenburgen'') also acted as refuge castles. They were primarily utilised as the village churches, but their fortifications also made them suitable for use as temporary places of refuge for the villages. The wall of the churchyard, which was actually designed to protect the cemetery, was upgraded in church castles into a defensible

defensive wall A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...

(''Wehrmauer'') and even the church tower could be given a defensive function.

In Germany

* Allersburg near Loiperstätt, between

Dorfen Dorfen is a town in the district of Erding, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 50 km east of Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a populat ...

and

Velden (Vils) Velden is a market town and municipality in the district of Landshut (district), Landshut in Bavaria in Germany. Geography Velden lies on the border from Lower Bavaria to Upper Bavaria. The river Vils (Danube), Vils runs through the town. Velde ...

* Amelungsburg (

Weser Uplands The Weser Uplands (German: ''Weserbergland'', ) is a hill region in Germany, between Hannoversch Münden and Porta Westfalica, along the river Weser. The area reaches into three states, Lower Saxony, Hesse, and North Rhine-Westphalia. Important ...

) *

Amöneburg Amöneburg () is a town in the Marburg-Biedenkopf district in Hesse, Germany. It lies on a mountain and is built around the castle of the same name, ''Burg Amöneburg''. Geography Location Amöneburg lies on a basalt cone that can be seen fr ...

(

Hesse Hesse (, , ) or Hessia (, ; german: Hessen ), officially the State of Hessen (german: links=no, Land Hessen), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt. Two other major histor ...

) *

Babilonie The Babilonie is a hillfort of the La Tène culture at a height of 255.6 metres above sea level on the northern edge of a rounded hill in the Wiehen Hills above the Lübbecke village of Obermehnen in the district of Minden-Lübbecke in the ...

(

Wiehen Hills The Wiehen Hills (german: Wiehengebirge, , also locally, just ''Wiehen'') are a hill range in North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony in Germany. The hills run from west to east like a long finger away from the main upland area of the Lower Saxon ...

) * Barenburg near Eldagsen * Borlinghausen *

Büraburg The Büraburg was a prominent hill castle with historic significance, on the Büraberg hill overlooking the Eder river near the town of Fritzlar in northern Hesse (Germany). Only foundation walls remain, and a church dedicated to St. Brigida. ...

(Hesse) * Bummannsburg in

Bergkamen Bergkamen (; Westphalian: ''Biärgkoamen'') is a town in the district of Unna, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated south of the river Lippe, approx. north-east of Dortmund and south-west of Hamm. Bergkamen, a fairly new town in ...

* Döben * Dünsberg (Hessen) *

Eresburg The Eresburg is the largest, well-known (Old) Saxon refuge castle (''Volksburg'') and was located in the area of the present German village of Obermarsberg in the borough of Marsberg in the county of Hochsauerlandkreis. It was a hill castle buil ...

* Eringaburg * Eiringsburg south of

Bad Kissingen Bad Kissingen is a German spa town in the Bavarian region of Lower Franconia and seat of the district Bad Kissingen. Situated to the south of the Rhön Mountains on the Franconian Saale river, it is one of the health resorts, which be ...

* Grotenburg (by Hermann's Monument in the

Teutoburg Forest The Teutoburg Forest ( ; german: Teutoburger Wald ) is a range of low, forested hills in the German states of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. Until the 17th century, the official name of the hill ridge was Osning. It was first renamed th ...

) * Heidenlöcher near Deidesheim * Heidenschanze near Sievern * Herlingsburg near

Schieder-Schwalenberg Schieder-Schwalenberg (Low German: ''Schüer-Schwalenberg'') is a town in the Lippe district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated approximately east of Detmold. It consists of 8 communes, which have been combined to a town in 1970 ...

Hohensyburg The Syberg is a hill in the Ruhr in the southern part of Dortmund, 240 m above Normalnull, sea level (NN), which is part of the Ardey Hills. The Syberg is home to the Sigiburg, the Vincke Tower, a monument to William I, German Emperor, Emperor Wil ...

in Dortmund-Syburg * Hünenburg (near Hedemünden) * Isenburg * Late Roman hillfort, Katzenberg near Mayen * Kukesburg * Monraburg near Großmonra * Mettermich (Rhön) * Plößnitz * ''Reitlingsbefestigungen'' * Ringwall Venne im

Kottenforst The Kottenforst is a large forest, about 40 km² in area, to the south, west and north of the city of Bonn in Germany. It is part of the Rhineland Nature Park (1,045 km²) and forms its eastern side. Geography The Kottenforst is the s ...

near Bonn * Sachsenberg * Skidroburg in

Tönsberg The Tönsberg is a hill ridge in the Teutoburg Forest that reaches a height of and lies in the district of Lippe near Oerlinghausen. Hermann's Way runs over the Tönsberg for about 3.5 km. Points of interest Along Hermann's Way on the c ...

(Teutoburg Forest) * Tüddern * Wartberg (Heilbronn) * Wittekindsburg near Porta Westfalica

In Austria

* Refuge castle near Duel/

Paternion Paternion ( sl, Špaterjan) is a market town in the district of Villach-Land in the Austrian state of Carinthia. It is located within the Drava valley about in the north-west of the city of Villach. Geography Paternion is subdivided into six Ka ...

(Carinthia): :Near the refuge castle on a hillock was a

Late Antiquity Late antiquity is the time of transition from classical antiquity to the Middle Ages, generally spanning the 3rd–7th century in Europe and adjacent areas bordering the Mediterranean Basin. The popularization of this periodization in English ha ...

period

castellum A ''castellum'' in Latin is usually: * a small Roman fortlet or tower,C. Julius Caesar, Gallic War; 2,30 a diminutive of ('military camp'), often used as a watchtower or signal station like on Hadrian's Wall. It should be distinguished from a ...

built around 400 A. D., which had the task of protecting the road crossing in the Gailtal valley, i.e. it was not primarily designed as a refuge castle. During excavations, as well as the defensive system, an early Christian church was discovered in the interior of the castellum. * Kreuzen Castle/

Bad Kreuzen Bad Kreuzen is a municipality in the district Perg in the Austrian state of Upper Austria. History The area around Kreuzen is said to have been cleared by Slavs between the 8th and 11th centuries, and the name Kreuzen is partly interpreted in Sla ...

(Upper Austria)

References

{{Authority control Castles by type fi:Linnavuori

History

In Germany

In Austria

See also

References