Oelber Castle

Oelber Castle, in Oelber am weißen Wege (Baddeckenstedt, Lower Saxony), stands on the site of a 12th-century moated castle. The current circular Renaissance structure was built around 1580 by Burchard VI von Cramm, modeled on Marburg Castle. Originally surrounded by a moat, the castle later received 19th-century alterations, including a taller stair tower and an eastern park.

Since 1274, the noble von Cramm family has been closely tied to the property, though for centuries they shared it with other noble houses due to complex feudal divisions. Full ownership came in 1766, and since 1974 it has been in the hands of Egbert Freiherr von Cramm.

The three-storey main castle surrounds a small courtyard, entered via a Renaissance-style gate on the south. Nearby stands a 1594 rectangular Vorburg (outer bailey). The village of Oelber was historically dependent on the castle’s estate economy.

Today the privately owned castle is generally closed to the public, but hosts cultural events, markets, and exhibitions.

Address
Rittergut 1, Baddeckenstedt, Germany

Established
c. 1580