Burg Bertherode

Burg Bertherode stands on the Kesselberg hill, 285 metres above sea level, two kilometres north-west of Melsungen’s old town. The site is marked by the local name ‘auf der viereckigen Platte’. The hill rises gently from the surrounding countryside, giving the place a quiet, elevated outlook. It was once the stronghold of the lords of Bertherode, a small noble family. The knights Berthold and Konrad von Bertherode served Hermann von Spangenberg. Their fortress never became a major power centre. The castle was probably destroyed between 1247 and 1263 during the reign of Landgraf Heinrich I of Hesse. No traces of walls or towers remain today. The village that once clustered below the hill vanished by the late 16th century. It was first recorded in 1254 under the name Bertherode. Only the field name and the hilltop site keep the memory alive. Visitors walk up a gentle slope to the flat plateau where the castle once stood. The view stretches across the valley towards Melsungen. There are no ruins to explore, only grassy ground and a sense of open space. The surrounding fields and woods show no signs of former buildings. The place is best reached by following quiet country lanes from the town.