medieval
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 ...
castle in the East Harz in central Germany situated on an elevation southwest of the village of
Stecklenberg
Stecklenberg is a village and a former municipality in the district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 23 November 2009, it is part of the town Thale.
Sights
The ''Glockenstein'' is a granite block in the shape of a bell that was proba ...
(in the borough of
Thale
Thale () is a town in the Harz district in Saxony-Anhalt in central Germany. Located at the steep northeastern rim of the Harz mountain range, it is known for the scenic Bode Gorge stretching above the town centre.
Geography
The town is situated ...
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt (german: Sachsen-Anhalt ; nds, Sassen-Anholt) is a state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony, Thuringia and Lower Saxony. It covers an area of
and has a population of 2.18 million inhabitants, making i ...
in the former German Democratic Republic (East Germany).
The
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 ...
was built in the
High Middle Ages
The High Middle Ages, or High Medieval Period, was the periodization, period of European history that lasted from AD 1000 to 1300. The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and were followed by the Late Middle Ages, which ended ...
.
The ruins of the Lauenburg stand on a foothill of the Ramberg massif above the village of Stecklenberg. It was built by Henry IV and first mentioned in the records in 1164. The construction of the two-part castle with its inner and outer wards (''Vorburg'' and ''Hauptburg'') probably took up to ten years. The two halves of the castle are separated by a massive defensive ditch (a
neck ditch
A neck ditch (german: Halsgraben), sometimes called a throat ditch, at www.roadstoruins.com. Accessed on 3 Jan 2012. is a dry or ''Halsgraben''), hewn out of the rock. The purpose of this impressive
fortification
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere ...
with a total length of more than 350 metres was the protection of
Quedlinburg
Quedlinburg () is a town situated just north of the Harz mountains, in the district of Harz in the west of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. As an influential and prosperous trading centre during the early Middle Ages, Quedlinburg became a center of in ...
and the nearby
military roads
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
. In 1180 the Lauenburg was captured by
Frederick I (Barbarossa)
Frederick Barbarossa (December 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick I (german: link=no, Friedrich I, it, Federico I), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death 35 years later. He was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt on ...
during a series of warlike conflicts. Later robber barons resided in the castle for periods of time, until it was destroyed in the 14th century.
Today the main castle is badly run-down. Only a few remnants of the towers and the outer walls are still left. The only structure in the entire fortification that has withstood the ravages of time and history relatively well is the
keep
A keep (from the Middle English ''kype'') is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word ''keep'', but usually consider it to refer to large towers in c ...
of the outer ward. Its ruins can be seen from a long way off.
The Lauenburg has a checkpoint (no. 187) in the network of hiking trails that form the
Harzer Wandernadel
The Harzer Wandernadel is a system of hiking awards in the Harz mountains in central Germany. The hiker (or mountain biker) can earn awards at different levels of challenge by walking to the various checkpoints in the network and stamping his or ...
. It is on the path by the entrance to the inn that is situated between the two parts of the castle.
Access
The castle may accessed on a footpath that runs from behind the church in Stecklenberg; there is a small car park in front of the church. The path climbs steeply past a children's play park up to the ruined castle of
Stecklenburg
The Stecklenburg is a ruined medieval castle in the East Harz in Germany, located on a small rise only a few hundred metres away from the village of Stecklenberg (in the borough of Thale) in the district of Harz in Saxony-Anhalt.
The castle wa ...
. Beyond the ruins, the path continues uphill to the Lauenburg.
Gallery
File:Lauenburg (kleine)_01.jpg, Little (''Kleine'') Lauenburg, west side of the keep (2005)
File:Lauenburg (kleine)_03.jpg, Little Lauenburg, remains of the ''Bering'' or of a building on the north side (2005)
File:Lauenburg (große)_02.jpg, Great (''Große'') Lauenburg: keep in the area of the eastern bailey (2005)
File:Lauenburg (große)_01.jpg, Great Lauenburg, keep in the area of the eastern bailey (2005)
File:Lauenburg (große)_03.jpg, Great Lauenburg, arch in the area of the gate (2005)
File:Lauenburg (große)_04.jpg, Great Lauenburg, building ruins in the area of the western Kernburg (2005)