Burg Hausfreden

Burg Hausfreden stands 1.5 kilometres south-east of Freden in the Leine valley. Built in the mid-14th century on a steep wooded spur above the river, it commanded a vital north–south route. The builders were the local Lords of Freden, who had been enfeoffed by the Hildesheimer bishop in 1344. The fortress was small but strong, enclosed by a curtain wall on a 65-by-30-metre plateau. Two towers once rose from the ground; deep ditches cut into the rock still encircle the site. Archaeologists found 14th-century pottery and ironwork, including a spur, confirming the date of the ruin. In 1402 a coalition of 2000 men besieged the castle for a week, using heavy artillery called the Grote Busse. Today the remains lie among beeches and oaks on the wooded ridge. Visitors walk the old ramparts and peer into the hollows where towers once stood. The great ditches remain impressive, and the outline of the curtain wall is still visible. The quiet hilltop offers wide views over the Leine valley and the surrounding countryside.