Routes

Route planner

Features

Product updates

Get the App

Discover

Places to see

Germany

North Rhine-Westphalia

Detmold District

Kreis Minden-Lübbecke

Minden

Wittekindsquelle Porta Westfalica

Discover

Places to see

Germany

North Rhine-Westphalia

Detmold District

Kreis Minden-Lübbecke

Minden

Wittekindsquelle Porta Westfalica

Recommended by 146 hikers out of 155

This Highlight is in a protected area

Please check local regulations for: Natur- und Geopark TERRA.vita

Save

Location: Minden, Kreis Minden-Lübbecke, Detmold District, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Save

See hikes here

Take Me There

Routes here

Best Hikes to Wittekindsquelle Porta Westfalica

4.8

(402)

1,288

hikers

1. Moltke Tower (Moltketurm) – Kaiser Wilhelm Monument loop from Porta Westfalica

16.5km

04:42

370m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Intermediate

4.8

(171)

707

hikers

2. Kaiser Wilhelm Monument – Moltke Tower (Moltketurm) loop from Volmerdingsen

16.4km

04:37

340m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Intermediate

4.8

(128)

557

hikers

3. Moltke Tower (Moltketurm) – View from Lutternsche Egge loop from Barkhausen

15.2km

04:08

220m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Intermediate

Tips

Angelina Kuhlmann

March 23, 2021

Not much of the temple-like border at the time of Kaiser Wilhelm II can be seen today, but the Wittekindsquelle on the Häverstädter Berg is still a popular excursion destination. Because there are some myths about the Wittekinds springs in the Wiehengebirge.

Translated by Google •

JR56

February 11, 2025

The Wittekindsquelle spring lies within the Wittekindsburg ramparts and bubbled until 1938, before the underground water-bearing layers were interrupted by iron ore mining.

It is believed that the spring was already a sanctuary in Saxon-Franconian times and thus provided the basis for building a rampart castle on top of the mountain.

A legend tells that Emperor Charlemagne and the Saxon Duke Wittekind met at the Wittekind Chapel and argued about their different religious doctrines. Finally, after Wittekind had asked Emperor Charles for a sign of the truth of his faith, the emperor's horse pawed the ground with its hoof.

From then on, the spring is said to have bubbled at this spot.

This impressed Wittekind so much, according to legend, that he had himself baptized.

heimatverein-bergkirchen.de/wittekindsquelle

Translated by Google •

Moonbeam🌜

April 24, 2022

The Wittekindsquelle is located within the ramparts of the Wittekindsburg. The existence of this spring was probably an important prerequisite for the construction of the La Tène hill fort.

The spring developed into a popular excursion destination in the second half of the 19th century. In the Wilhelmine era, the spring was elaborately provided with a temple-like stone grotto. A semi-circular relief was placed above the grotto, which was provided with a lattice. Widukind's horse uncovering the spring was shown on the relief. A water basin was also created below the spring. The relief depicting the miracle of the spring was later stolen and has since been lost.

From the mid-1930s, increased mining activities to extract iron ore began in the Wiehengebirge. Also in the Wittekindsberg area, several new tunnels for ore mining were dug. Mining disrupted the underground water-bearing strata and ultimately caused the Wittekindsquelle to dry up in 1938.

Today only the remains of the originally elaborately designed spring grotto have been preserved.

Source: Wikipedia

Translated by Google •

Details

Informations

Elevation 230 m

Weather

Today

Saturday 20 September

28°C

20°C

0 %

If you start your activity now...

Max wind speed: 13.0 km/h

Most visited during

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

See hikes here

Take Me There

Location: Minden, Kreis Minden-Lübbecke, Detmold District, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Wittekindsquelle Porta Westfalica

1. Moltke Tower (Moltketurm) – Kaiser Wilhelm Monument loop from Porta Westfalica

2. Kaiser Wilhelm Monument – Moltke Tower (Moltketurm) loop from Volmerdingsen

3. Moltke Tower (Moltketurm) – View from Lutternsche Egge loop from Barkhausen

Other Popular Places to Check Out

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️