Stecklenburg
Encyclopedia
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 was built in the 11th century by the Stackelbergs on the remains of an older one. In the 12th century it was destroyed in a battle, but later rebuilt. Its new owners in 1281 were the abbey in Halberstadt
.
Stecklenburg was occupied until the beginning of the 18th century. After then, several of the castle buildings, such as the brewery and the castle chapel, were demolished. It fell into total ruin and was used as a quarry. Before it was completely destroyed it was placed under a protection order following an objection by the senior forester of Thale
, who then worked on the preservation of the castle.
Today the ruins of Stecklenburg are a protected monument
and a popular tourist destination. All that is left of the castle are a few walls from the living quarters and the remains of the keep
. The ruins of Lauenburg Castle
are located only a few hundred metres away from the Stecklenburg, further up the Ramberg
hill.
Harz
The Harz is the highest mountain range in northern Germany and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The name Harz derives from the Middle High German word Hardt or Hart , latinized as Hercynia. The legendary Brocken is the highest summit in the Harz...
in Germany, located on a small rise only a few hundred metres away from the village of Stecklenberg
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....
(in the borough of Thale
Thale
Thale is a town in the Harz district in Saxony-Anhalt in central Germany.-Geography:It is situated on the river Bode, approximately 8 km west of Quedlinburg. It is the terminus of the Magdeburg–Thale railway.- History :...
) in the district of Harz in Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
.
The castle was built in the 11th century by the Stackelbergs on the remains of an older one. In the 12th century it was destroyed in a battle, but later rebuilt. Its new owners in 1281 were the abbey in Halberstadt
Halberstadt
Halberstadt is a town in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt and the capital of the district of Harz. It is located on the German Half-Timbered House Road and the Magdeburg–Thale railway....
.
Stecklenburg was occupied until the beginning of the 18th century. After then, several of the castle buildings, such as the brewery and the castle chapel, were demolished. It fell into total ruin and was used as a quarry. Before it was completely destroyed it was placed under a protection order following an objection by the senior forester of Thale
Thale
Thale is a town in the Harz district in Saxony-Anhalt in central Germany.-Geography:It is situated on the river Bode, approximately 8 km west of Quedlinburg. It is the terminus of the Magdeburg–Thale railway.- History :...
, who then worked on the preservation of the castle.
Today the ruins of Stecklenburg are a protected monument
Monument
A monument is a type of structure either explicitly created to commemorate a person or important event or which has become important to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, or simply as an example of historic architecture...
and a popular tourist destination. All that is left of the castle are a few walls from the living quarters and the remains of the keep
Keep
A keep 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 castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
. The ruins of Lauenburg Castle
Lauenburg Castle
The Lauenburg is a ruined medieval castle in the East Harz in central Germany situated on an elevation southwest of the village of Stecklenberg in Harz district in the state of Saxony-Anhalt in the former German Democratic Republic .The castle was built in the High Middle Ages.The ruins of the...
are located only a few hundred metres away from the Stecklenburg, further up the Ramberg
Ramberg (Harz)
The Ramberg, also called the Ramberg Massif, is a granite massif, about 30 square kilometres in area, in the eastern part of the Harz Mountains of central Germany. It is located in the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt and lies southwest of Quedlinburg, between Friedrichsbrunn, Gernrode, Harzgerode...
hill.