Schwalenburg

The castle ring near Schwalefeld contains the remains of a ring wall castle from the early Middle Ages. The Schwalenburg fortifications consist of three ramparts and ditches, enclosing an area of ​​six hectares, making them one of the most impressive prehistoric fortifications in Central Europe.

The oldest part of the complex is the central wall, which encloses an area of ​​two hectares. It is roughly oval in shape and today appears as a massive rampart with a ditch in front. In the northeast of this wall was a massive gate complex, still clearly recognizable by its inward-curving ramparts. A smaller gate, added later, is located in the south of the central wall.
The inner, almost circular ring of ramparts has a diameter of 75 to 90 meters. It has a 2,40-meter-wide gateway to the north, the remains of which can still be seen, and a steep-walled pit that could have been a well or the cellar of a tower. In the inner ring, wall remains are found that suggest rooms of varying sizes attached to the rampart.
The outer ring of ramparts encloses an area of ​​six hectares. It was the most powerful of the three ramparts and had a ditch in front. The wood-reinforced wall, a good two meters wide and with a ramp built inside, was about 5 meters high.

At the beginning of the 20th century, excavations took place in the Schwalenburg castle. Nothing is known about their contents, except for the ruined wall facades, which are visible today. All documents and the recovered finds have been lost. However, traces of lime mortar in the gate system of the inner ring and also in the later-installed gate of the middle ring indicate that the complex must date back to the early Middle Ages (8th to 10th centuries). In 1537, the "Borgh zu Schwalefeld" was first documented in the land register, and even then, it was already documented as being covered with wood.

In order to preserve monuments from past centuries, the nature park Diemelsee The "Schwalenburg" has been cleared of vegetation, and a small observation tower provides visitors with a comprehensive overview of the mighty fortifications from the Carolingian period. Eight information panels along the "Schwalenburg Ringwallweg," newly constructed in 2015, provide visitors with an insight into the castle's history. A flyer has also been published.