Coppenbrügge Castle
Description
Coppenbrügge Castle is a well-preserved moated castle ruin in the town of Coppenbrügge, Lower Saxony.
History
After losing their ancestral seat, the Counts of Spiegelberg acquired land in Coppenbrügge in 1281 and built a moated castle to control a major trade route. First documented in 1303, parts of the original structure like the gate and moat still exist. Damaged in the 1434 Spiegelberg Feud, the castle was rebuilt in the Renaissance style after the counts inherited Pyrmont in 1494 and moved their seat there.
The castle passed through several noble families, including the Houses of Lippe, Gleichen-Thonna, and Nassau. By the late 1600s, it was in disrepair. In 1697, Tsar Peter the Great met with Electress Sophie of Hanover here, an event remembered as the 'Ladies' Peace of Coppenbrügge.'
A baroque palace was added before 1745 but later demolished after the castle was sold to the Kingdom of Hanover in 1822. Most buildings were torn down by 1870, except for a timber-framed chancery house, now a museum. The castle briefly served as a quarry in 1945.
Description
The castle is surrounded by a water moat and earthen wall. The southern courtyard houses a former court building. Medieval foundations are visible in the north, east, and west. The gatehouse is flanked by two round towers, one used as a bastion.
The Peterlinde
A highlight is the Peterlinde, a centuries-old linden tree on the castle wall, linked to Tsar Peter's 1697 visit. Estimated to be 500–700 years old, it once formed a walkable tree pavilion connected to the castle.
Address
Schloßstraße 1, Coppenbrügge, Germany
Established
13th century