Heimburg Castle

The Castle Heimburg, also called the Old Castle or Old Castle is a ruin of a hill fort at home castle in the district of Harz, in Saxony- Anhalt.

Geographical location

The ruin is located in the northern Harz foreland in the Harz Nature Park / Saxony- Anhalt at the 280.9 m above sea level. NN high, oval and slightly wooded survey Altenburg above Heimburg, a northwestern district of the town of Blankenburg.

History

The castle was probably built in 1070 by Emperor Henry IV as resistance to the Saxon princes, and for the first time mentioned in 1073. After the loss of several generations lasting feud between Heimburg and Regenstein, the Counts of Regenstein took over the castle. A line of these dukes was called then of Regenstein - Heimburg. In the 16th century the castle was pledged several times and after destruction during the Thirty Years' War ( 1618-1648), there were no more renewals, so that the castle fell into disrepair and was completely used as a quarry for building materials. After the extinction of the family of the Regensteins 1599 the fief fell to their liege lord, the Duke of Brunswick, back. 1891-1894 excavations took place.

Plant

The oval-shaped castle is today the remains of the up to 10 m high curtain wall, remains of some walls trains, ditches and ramparts and round keep. The main castle had an area of ​​about 35 by 60 m.

Hiking

The survey Altenburg is included as # 84 in the system of stamp locations of the Harz hiking pin.