History of Trendelburg Castle
One of Germany’s best-preserved castles is Trendelburg Castle in the Western Mountains near Kassel. Chartered in 1301, the same year as the town that surrounds it, Trendelburg historically has held a strategic position, dominating important trade roads from Frankfurt to Kassel and Hamburg.
This picturesque 14th-century knight’s castle perches on a hilltop in the Rheinhardswald forest. The town grew up roughly within the same area covered by its ancient walls today.
The Trendelburg fortress, separated from the town by a deep ditch cut into the rocks, has weathered fires, reconstructions, reinforcements, plagues, the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648), and the Seven Years’ War (1756 to 1763). It has been pillaged, pawned, and pulverized in various eras.
The original castle was built just before its chartering in 1301, by Konrad III of Schoenberg. Through the years it was called Trindirberg, Drendenburg, Dreyndeneberch, Drenderburg, Drendelburg, and Trendelburgk. Romans probably camped here; the region paid homage to Charlemagne and fell under the influence of the Carolingians.
Throughout much of Trendelburg Castle’s history, it has been connected with the Stockhausen family, which today runs the castle as a hotel and restaurant. Martin Luther, whose family was related to the Stockhausen, once stayed here. French and English troops once made it their barracks, as did GIs during World War II.
Trendelburg Castle Location
Address: Steinweg 1, 34388 Trendelburg, Germany. Get help with directions: