64 Hanstein Castle near Heilbad Heiligenstadt

64 Hanstein Castle near Heilbad Heiligenstadt 

In the 11th century, Hanstein Castle was owned by Otto of Northeim.

Emperor Henry IV destroyed the castle, and in 1075, Otto of Northeim rebuilt it, with the upper castle still made of wood.

Through inheritance, Hanstein passed to Henry the Lion and later to his son, Emperor Otto IV.

In 1209, Archbishop Siegfried II of Mainz acquired rights to the castle.

Between 1308 and 1414, the brothers Heinrich and Lippold von Hanstein built a new stone castle.

They had to cover the construction costs themselves but secured hereditary ownership rights in return.

Later repairs and extensions can still be traced through dated stone inscriptions.

During the Thirty Years‘ War, Swedish troops partially destroyed Hanstein Castle in 1632.

Although some repairs were made, the castle has been considered uninhabitable since 1683.

A new hall was built between 1838 and 1840, with further restoration efforts occurring between 1904 and 1915.

Since 1985, ongoing preservation work has been carried out.

The north tower can be accessed via a narrow spiral staircase.

From the tower’s platform, visitors can enjoy a stunning panoramic view of the Harz Mountains, Ohmgebirge, Kaufunger Forest, Meißner, Thuringian Forest, and Göttingen.

 

Further information: 

Municipality of Bornhagen
Am Kulturzentrum 11
37318 Bornhagen
Tel.: +49 36081 / 6 13 11
Fax: +49 36081 / 6 85 45
Castle Ticket Office: +49 36081 / 6 78 56

http://www.vg-hanstein-rusteberg.de