Dicker Wilhelm Tower (Neuenburg Castle, Freyburg)
Dicker Wilhelm Tower (Neuenburg Castle, Freyburg)
Hiking Highlight
Recommended by 461 out of 476 hikers
Location: Freyburg (Unstrut), Burgenlandkreis, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
It was built in 1150. Its wall thickness is 2.85 meters, the diameter is 14 meters, and the height to the roof is 23 meters. The historic entrance led directly into the high, vaulted main floor. The ground-level entrance was only installed in the 16th century. The upscale furnishings with fireplace and toilet suggest that the “Dicker Wilhelm” served as a residential and defensive tower. The originally slate-covered tower dome dates from 1550. The keep was renovated in 1983 and has been part of the tour of Neuchâtel since 1991 with special exhibitions and as a viewing tower.
Source: schloss-neuenburg.de/museum-börsen/dicker-wilhelm
October 28, 2022
The "Fat William" has only been called that since the 20th century. The only surviving of the original three keep towers was probably built starting in 1150. Its diameter is 14 meters; in the Romanesque period, it was at least 23 meters high. Due to its interior, it is more likely to be considered a residential tower than a pure keep. It is highly likely that the tower served as the seat of the Burgraves of Neuenburg from the House of Meinheringen in the 13th century, who are documented as "Praefectus de Nuenburg, Burggravius de novo castro" from 1215 to 1297.
April 22, 2025
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