Plytenberg

The Plytenberg is an oval earth mound raised by human hands on the edge of Leer in East Frisia, close to the River Ems. It stands about twelve metres high with an elliptical base measuring sixty-two metres by fifty-six metres. In the fifteenth century it probably served as a lookout mound for the Leerort fortress. Earlier guesses that it might be the grave of a Viking chieftain or a sea mark were disproved by archaeological digs in the early 1990s. A local tale claims a giant once dropped a sack of soil here, forming the hill. The mound is worth the journey because it links legend with history in a single landmark. Albrecht Janssen’s modern folk tale describes tiny creatures called Erdmantjes living inside the hill. A book published in 1995 by Rolf Bärenfänger and Norbert Fiks explores the many puzzles of the Plytenberg. Another study by Bärenfänger appears in a guide to archaeological sites across Germany. Ernst Andreas Friedrich’s account in 1989 also examines the mound’s past. Visitors find a quiet green mound set among fields and modern streets. A paved path winds up the gentle slope to the top, where wide views stretch over the surrounding countryside. The summit offers a clear view of the Ems and the old fortress site nearby. Information boards explain the mound’s uses and the legends attached to it. The site remains open and free to walk, a small green island in an otherwise built-up area.