Greene Castle
Description
Burg Greene is a medieval hilltop castle ruin near the village of Greene in Lower Saxony. Located at 181 meters above sea level, the castle sits on a prominent ridge overlooking the Leine Valley. Today, the ruins are part of a park-like landscape and dominated by the restored 25-meter-high keep (Bergfried).
History
The castle was built in 1308 by the Lords of Homburg to protect their estates and a vital trade route across the Leine River. It replaced an earlier fortification nearby, known as the Hüburg, which dates to the 10th–12th century.
After the last Homburg lord died in 1409, control of the castle passed to Duke Bernhard of Brunswick, sparking a conflict with the Bishop of Hildesheim. Eventually, the Welfs sold the castle to the bishop in 1414, retaining buyback rights. In 1499, they redeemed it and established Amt Greene, a local administrative office.
The castle was destroyed in 1553 by troops under Vollrad von Mansfeld during regional conflicts but was quickly rebuilt by Duke Henry the Younger. It suffered further damage in the Thirty Years' War and was eventually abandoned as an administrative center when a new office was built elsewhere.
By 1694, the castle was officially decommissioned. From 1704, it was only inhabited by laborers, and its stones were reused in village buildings. By 1757, only the tower remained.
Architecture
The castle once featured an outer (lower) and inner (upper) ward, separated by a 1.5-meter-thick dividing wall. Entry was from the south via a drawbridge over a defensive ditch. A small gatehouse protected the entrance. The triangular courtyard likely had surrounding buildings, as traces of foundations remain.
The Bergfried is square in plan, built with 2.8-meter-thick walls, and stands 25 meters tall. The main castle buildings had two stone floors with timber-framed upper levels, forming the outer walls of the complex.
Today
Visitors can see parts of the curtain wall, the restored keep, and the arched gate to the upper ward. The tower is open to the public and offers panoramic views over the Leine Valley.