Sparrenburg Castle towers high above Bielefeld and offers a wonderful view of the Teutoburg Forest. Parts of the building, such as stone walls and dungeons, tell stories from another time. Visitors can learn more about the lives of the former inhabitants on guided tours.
Nobody knows exactly when it was built. The Sparrenburg - or Sparrenberg Castle to be precise - was first mentioned in documents in 1256.
An excursion to Bielefeld's landmark is worthwhile at any time of year, as the mighty fortress offers visitors a magnificent panoramic view over the university town in the Teutoburg Forest. The extensive castle grounds are located on one of the most beautiful high-altitude hiking trails in Germany and are accessible all year round.
120 steps lead up to the tower of Sparrenburg Castle. For many years, the height of the tower was estimated at around 37 meters. In reality, the height to the top of the flagpole is 45.2 meters and to the edge of the battlements 31.5 meters. The arduous climb is rewarded with an XXL panoramic view over the city in the Teutoburg Forest. In good weather, you can even see as far as the Wiehengebirge mountains.
"Smelling the fuse" or "being pursued by bad luck": surprisingly, phrases from the everyday life of castles in days long gone still characterize our linguistic usage today. On the 45-minute casemate tour, visitors gain an exciting insight into more than 750 years of castle history and can take a look at the 300-metre-long underground corridor system of Sparrenburg Castle. Thick stone walls, dark dungeons and narrow light wells impressively illustrate the conditions under which soldiers defended the castle and town from enemy conquests.
www.bielefeld.jetzt/sparrenburg
