The moated Strünkede Castle with thick walls was the seat of the Barons of Strünkede for seven centuries. The castle was built before 1243. In the mid-17th century it was rebuilt in the early Baroque style. First it housed a restaurant, later the police, and a hospital during the war. In 1948 the city bought the castle, restored it and opened a branch of the Emschertal Museum (Emschertalmuseum) in it with an exhibition covering the city history, the Strünkede Castle and family.
The church, built at Strünkede Castle in the 13th century, is the oldest church in Herne. After reconstruction in 1950 it was opened to the public. The castle’s courtyard hosts open-air concerts, such as the Strünkeder Summer festival. During it tourists enjoy theatrical performances, performances of folk bands, comic artists, film screenings and parties. Here you can buy traditional crafts and taste local specialties. The park around the castle is a favorite vacation spot of the towns people.
References:The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.
Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.