Middelsteburg

The Middelsteburg stands in Groothusen, a village in the Krummhörn municipality of Lower Saxony. Built in the late 14th century as a strong stone house, it was one of the many fortified homes typical of East Frisia. The builder was Udo Tiadekana, a local chieftain who ruled between 1361 and 1378. After passing through marriage to the Beninga family, the house became part of a wider conflict with the Hanseatic League. The Beninga lords fought alongside Focko Ukena against the League. When defeat loomed, they fled to Ukena’s castle in Groningen. In 1435 the Hanseatic forces, helped by Edzard and Ulrich Cirksena, captured the Middelsteburg using heavy artillery. After repairs it remained in local hands until the 16th century, when it passed to owners of the nearby Osterburg. In 1832 the Emden merchant and shipowner Konsul Ysaak Brons bought the site and built the Villa Brons on the preserved medieval foundations. Today the Villa Brons is the main remnant of the old stronghold. Its brick cellar and vaults still date from the original structure. A serious fire in 2005 damaged the villa, but restoration has returned it to use. Visitors can walk around the grounds and see the sturdy stonework that once formed part of a medieval chieftain’s home. The quiet lanes of Groothusen lead past other old houses, giving a sense of the region’s historic building style.