Schloss Rammelburg

General information on the Rammelburg castle complex

Rammelburg Castle or Burg Rammelburg is located in the town of the same name near Mansfeld in Saxony-Anhalt, where it towers high on a hill. It is designated as a cultural monument in the eastern German state, but ownership is currently unclear and has been for many years. The former medieval castle was gradually expanded into a palace and is irregular and polygonal in its ground plan. The castle-like main building is located in the south-east of the castle complex and has Neo-Renaissance features.

The history of Rammelburg Castle

The first fortress was built by King Otto III in 992, more than 1000 years ago. Later it belonged to Count Adalbert II of Ballenstedt, and around 1190 it came into the possession of the von Arnstein family and was continually extended over the course of time. The castle changed hands many times and was occasionally used as a hunting lodge. Until 1602, however, it was owned with few interruptions by the Counts of Mansfeld.

During the GDR era, the castle was used as a children's clinic, but after the collapse of socialism and German reunification, it was moved to nearby Wippra. In 1995, plans were made to set up a hotel in the castle, but this was prevented by the House of Thurn and Taxis, which owned the castle before the Soviet occupation. Until the end, the ownership situation was unclear, but the need for renovation continued to grow, so that experts now estimate an investment backlog of 50 million euros. Should a financier be found, the castle will probably once again pass into private hands; a luxury hotel with a training seminar was once planned. In the meantime, a Berlin art dealer bought the castle at auction, but the plans for galleries and concert halls came to nothing. In 2000, a real estate company from Leipzig bought the property, but its plans failed just as badly. A castle keeper still exists today and there is still interest in the abandoned monument. Some people even suggested making the castle known in the Arab world among the sheikhs and businessmen there.

Scoffers claim that the castle's name comes from the fact that it has been locked and barricaded for decades. The story of the Hare Man, probably an idea of the real estate company from Leipzig, comes up again and again. Every now and then he resided in Rammelburg Castle and perhaps the name of the castle inspired this hare to house his bucks here?

A visit to Rammelburg Castle and walks in the surrounding area

For the reasons mentioned above, the castle itself cannot be visited to this day. In fact, the castle lies dormant and is considered a "lost place". This has not changed for more than 20 years. Nevertheless, the nature around the castle is a popular destination for excursions, and from the outside you can admire the castle extensively, just like any other visitor. In the surrounding area, you can roam extensively through the unspoilt landscape of the Harz off the beaten tourist track. In Rammelburg, for example, the Wipper river curves around the rocky massif on which the aforementioned Rammelburg castle is enthroned. It then flows in an easterly direction to Biesenrode and finally flows into the Saale near Bernburg after 85 kilometres.

Another interesting hiking trail is the Harzer Naturistenstieg, because this is the only official nude hiking trail in the Harz Mountains. Conventionally clothed hikers need not worry about this, however, because there are more than enough alternatives to the nudist trail to roam the wonderful nature of the Harz.

A beautiful hike leads past the Schwanenteich pond up to the Schönen Aussicht and Rammelburg Castle. After a rest at the castle, the trail leads back down the Rammelburg path, with beautiful views offering opportunities for a rest throughout the tour in the lovely Wippertal valley. You will reach Biesenrode after another six kilometres. This is also where the so-called Wipperliese runs, an old and romantic railway line that runs through the south-eastern Lower Harz and connects Klostermannsfeld with the spa town of Wippra. A highlight on the route is a 250-metre-long viaduct in the Mansfeld district of Leimbach and a 289-metre-long curved tunnel below Rammelburg Castle.