Blocksberg

The Blocksberg near Pansdorf is a protected ringwall in eastern Holstein. It stands on a geest ridge surrounded by the Schwartau river, a deep stream valley and boggy ground. The walled enclosure dates from the 8th and 9th centuries and was built by the Wends. A ditch and rampart mark its southern edge, separating it from the rest of the ridge. The site is worth visiting for its well-preserved earthworks and the glimpse it offers into early medieval defences. Archaeologists have studied the walls and surrounding terrain in detail. A possible predecessor fort, called Ohlborg, may once have stood on the ridge to the south. The main ringwall rises five to eight metres above the interior and drops up to twenty metres into the low-lying surroundings. Visitors find a large circular embankment with an uneven shape and a diameter of about 110 to 120 metres. The ramparts enclose a flat interior that once held buildings and workshops. The surrounding landscape of streams, bogs and wooded ridges adds to the sense of isolation the builders sought. A path leads around the outside of the walls, giving views over the valley below.