Altena Castle, Altena, Germany - SpottingHistory.com

Altena Castle was erected by the brothers Adolf and Everhard von Berg around the year 1108 after Henry V granted them land in Sauerland. On Wulfseck Mountain they built their castle, which they named Wulfeshagen, later Altena. This is one of the three legends of the establishment of the county of Altena and the building of the castle.

After the acquisition of Mark near the city of Hamm in 1198, the counts of Altena took Mark Castle as their primary residence and called themselves the Counts of the Mark. They occasionally inhabited Altena Castle and from 1392 onward it was used as a residence for the county bailiff (Amtmann).

In 1912, Richard Schirrmann established the world's first youth hostel within the castle, which is still in use today (Jugendherberge Burg Altena).

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Barek S (6 months ago)
A magic place with a awesome view of the city. Stayed here while traveling when I saw a beatifull castle on the hill. You can drive by car to the castle gate, car parking is under gate but i prefere to walk because there are a historic houses along the way. Entrance to the castle is for free but if you want visit to the museum you have to pay a few € ( is not expensive ). Place a worth to see !

Dee-Aye Acuna (7 months ago)
Nice view from the top and the castle itself is well preserved. There are plenty of spots for nice photo. I can imagine it is also nice in the evening with lights on.

JLX (8 months ago)
Surprisingly much to see, you'll really spend a couple of hours here. High towers with excellent views, dark chambers with dark history.. Lots of medieval gear, a very nice small chapel and much more await you. Definitively recommend a visit. ?

Sameer Kulkarni (12 months ago)
Located in the pretty little town of Altena. The castle itself however, could use some work on the surroundings to be attractive, but on the inside many artifacts are preserved and on display along with what looks like a newly installed tech with LED screens and remote controlled focus lights for infographs.

Limana Solaiman (2 years ago)
The entire castle experience transports you back to the olden days, a must if you are exploring North Rhine-Westphalia.

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Monte d"Accoddi is a Neolithic archaeological site in northern Sardinia, located in the territory of Sassari. The site consists of a massive raised stone platform thought to have been an altar. It was constructed by the Ozieri culture or earlier, with the oldest parts dated to around 4,000–3,650 BC.

The site was discovered in 1954 in a field owned by the Segni family. No chambers or entrances to the mound have been found, leading to the presumption it was an altar, a temple or a step pyramid. It may have also served an observational function, as its square plan is coordinated with the cardinal points of the compass.

The initial Ozieri structure was abandoned or destroyed around 3000 BC, with traces of fire found in the archeological evidence. Around 2800 BC the remains of the original structure were completely covered with a layered mixture of earth and stone, and large blocks of limestone were then applied to establish a second platform, truncated by a step pyramid (36 m × 29 m, about 10 m in height), accessible by means of a second ramp, 42 m long, built over the older one. This second temple resembles contemporary Mesopotamian ziggurats, and is attributed to the Abealzu-Filigosa culture.

Archeological excavations from the chalcolithic Abealzu-Filigosa layers indicate the Monte d"Accoddi was used for animal sacrifice, with the remains of sheep, cattle, and swine recovered in near equal proportions. It is among the earliest known sacrificial sites in Western Europe.

The site appears to have been abandoned again around 1800 BC, at the onset of the Nuragic age.

The monument was partially reconstructed during the 1980s. It is open to the public and accessible by the old route of SS131 highway, near the hamlet of Ottava. It is 14,9 km from Sassari and 45 km from Alghero. There is no public transportation to the site. The opening times vary throughout the year.

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