ヘルムシュテットの洞窟・トップ11

Not immediately recognizable as a castle, with a moat and an open door offering a glimpse into the castle garden.

Beautiful little castle with moat in Essenrode

Warberg Castle is situated in a very attractive landscape on the northern slope of the Elmes River. After the destruction of the first motte-and-bailey castle in 1199, the complex was probably replaced in the 13th century by a fortified moated castle on an artificially created hill in the valley. In a war waged by Duke Magnus the Elder of Brunswick in 1347 against Archbishop Otto of Magdeburg, the noblemen Gebhard and Burchard von Warberg fought as leaders of the duke, who was defeated that same year. As a result of these military events, Warberg Castle was severely damaged in 1356 but was subsequently restored. In 1552, Christoph von Warberg converted the castle into an impressive Renaissance palace, which is documented in a Merian engraving from 1654. The very beautiful and well-preserved niche portal on the side facing the courtyard dates from this period. The addition of a storey to the old upper castle building resulted in such an increase in load that the foundations could not adequately withstand the pressure, and the two upper floors had to be demolished. At the beginning of the 16th century, during the Thirty Years' War, the noble von Warberg family began to decline. The castle was gradually demolished except for the ground floor walls. A temporary roof, probably dating from the 19th century, made it possible to preserve the remaining structure, which from then on served to manage the domain. The present castle complex is divided into a renovated lower castle, used by the Bundeslehranstalt Burg Warberg e.V. as a seminar hotel, and the now also renovated upper castle, which was reopened to the public on April 25, 2004. The German Foundation for Monument Protection was involved in the renovation of Warberg Castle in 2000 and 2001.

Warberg Castle, there is a lot to think about here, and the best opportunity for a break

I have driven past the castle several times, and it is definitely worth stopping. Wikipedia and Carsten Henze's interesting website contain a wealth of information about the history and current condition. As one would hardly suspect from the outside, large parts of the castle have been renovated. The outer facade was therefore deliberately left in its current state - which gives the castle a morbid charm. I was amazed by the photos of the interior of the castle, which can be rented for celebrations. The castle moat is fed by the Schunter. The Jazz in the Park festival took place at the castle in 2018. In short: interesting complex, clear recommendation!

nice covered area with benches and table

Esbeck Castle was a castle in Esbeck in the Helmstedt district, whose former form can be recognized in the buildings of a present-day manor house. (Source: https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burg_Esbeck_(Schöningen))

The castle was in the northwestern part of the village on a slight hill. The castle site is now a round plateau with a diameter of around 80 meters, on which farm buildings from the 19th century are arranged in a semicircle to the north and west. You follow the course of the former ring wall of the castle. To the east is a two-wing main building that dates from the 18th century. A passage in the main house leads to the inner courtyard. A half-timbered wing is attached at right angles to the three-storey, stone main building. The entire complex is surrounded by a moat that is up to 14 meters wide.