Sachsenhagen Castle
Description
The water castle of Sachsenhagen in Lower Saxony was built around 1250 by Duke Albert I of Saxony to secure his territory and colonize the nearby Dülwald forest. It later passed to the Counts of Schauenburg and Holstein, who transformed it into a Renaissance-style residence around 1600. After falling under the control of Hesse-Kassel in 1665, the complex gradually decayed, leaving only the massive 14 m-high keep (Bergfried), the former administrative building (Amtshaus), and one outbuilding.
The castle stands southeast of Sachsenhagen by the Sachsenhäger Aue river, once guarding a key north–south route. It originally had an outer bailey, a drawbridge, and deep moats. Over the centuries, it served as a noble residence, administrative seat, and later an agricultural domain. In the 20th century, the keep hosted a youth hostel, sports training, and today houses cultural events. The Amtshaus and other surviving buildings are now privately owned.
Archaeological work in 2012 uncovered medieval walls, ceramic fragments from the 12th–16th centuries, and evidence of the site’s original topography.
Address
Schloßgang 5, Sachsenhagen, Germany
Established
c. 1250