Bederkesa Castle, Bederkesa, Germany

Bederkesa is a medieval castle built originally in the 12th century. Its original owners, the counts of Bederkesa, lost their fief in 1381. For more than two centuries, the City of Bremen became owner of this castle and its surrounding subjects. As a symbol of sovereignty, they have constructed a Roland statue which is still standing in front of castle. Until 1859, this castle served as administrative centre of its surrounding area. In 1881, it was sold to local investors who converted it into a hotel. This hotel, however, became ramshackle and was deemed to demolition, when the local county administration bought it in 1975, spending much money for reconstruction. Since 1982, the castle serves as museum of local archeology. Remains of prehistoric and medieval houses have been dug from three abandoned villages, Fallward, Feddersen and Flögeln. These Anglo-Saxons moved to England around 450 AD and left their villages uninhabited.

Address

Amtsstraße 17, Bederkesa, Germany

See all sites in Bederkesa

Details

Founded: 12th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Germany
Historical period: Hohenstaufen Dynasty (Germany)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

Neuwerk Tower (39,4 km)

User Reviews

Andreas Bayer (4 months ago)
Nicely presented museum that deals with the early history of the region. The scope of the exhibition is of a reasonable size: manageable but not too small. Perhaps the original fortifications could be shown a little more clearly outside

Margit Weigelt (10 months ago)
A super beautiful castle that has seen a lot over the last few centuries, from which something inviting and magnificent has been restored. The entrance fee is not too expensive, but unfortunately the building only has 4 rooms to visit, but there is a lot of history with finds that I think have been presented very well. The castle itself is a real eye-catcher for the place on the outside and you can spend the whole day there taking walks by the lake etc. A very magical and dreamy vacation spot where the soul can find peace and escape from everyday life. I would come back at any time ? ?

Michał Garczyński (2 years ago)
Nice outsider, boring museum

Anni St (3 years ago)
Very impressive and informative. At the beginning of the tour, a film was shown about the castle, the restoration and the finds that have been found in various places over the years. There is also currently an exhibition on locks, safes and very old chests. The staff are very friendly and answer any questions. Thank you for these great impressions.

Michael Schmidt (3 years ago)
It is worth seeing the exhibition in the castle. Admission for adults is just €2. Tip: ask when there is a guided tour for the treasure chests. It's included in the price and really interesting. Right next to it is the lake for walking.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright discopalace

Historic Site of the week

Sigmaringen Castle

Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.

The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.

These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.

Bederkesa Castle