Burg Desenberg

The Desenberg is a ruined hilltop castle standing on a 343.6-metre volcanic cone in the Warburger Börde near Daseburg. It overlooks the surrounding countryside from its commanding position above the plain. The site has been fortified since at least 766, when a stronghold is said to have existed there. The present ruins date mainly from the 12th and 13th centuries, when the castle passed through the hands of the counts of Northeim, Henry the Lion and the counts of Spiegel. Twice destroyed in feuds, it was rebuilt each time and finally abandoned in the 16th century.

The castle is worth visiting for its dramatic setting and the stories attached to it. In 1168 Henry the Lion besieged Widukind of Schwalenberg here, using miners from Goslar to cut off the water supply. In 1380 the landgrave of Hesse-Kassel destroyed the castle after the Spiegel family had gained a reputation as robber barons. The Spiegel coat of arms still shows three mirrors, recalling the legend of the ‘Mirror Knight’ who slew a dragon by frightening it with his shield. The family owned the site until the mid-16th century.

Visitors walk up a gentle ramp to the outer defences, where a low wall curves round most of the hill. Inside, the remains of the 12-metre-high keep can be climbed by a modern metal spiral staircase to a viewing platform. The main courtyard was once enclosed by a ring wall with two round towers and several stone buildings, of which only foundations and a vaulted cellar survive. A large rectangular building in the outer ward, with its own small tower, was used for storage and administration. From the top of the keep there are wide views over the Warburger Börde towards the Eggegebirge.