Ringwallanlage Burggraben

The Ringwallanlage Burggraben is an early to high medieval fortification in the Staatsforst Burgholz, part of Wuppertal’s Cronenberg district. It sits on a spur of the Burggrafenberg, a 282-metre hill overlooking the Wupper valley. The site lies deep in woodland, 227 metres above sea level, near where the Burgholzbachtal meets the Wupper. Archaeologists recognise the remains as a protected monument. A 25-metre ditch runs along the ridge, backed by an earthen rampart eight metres wide and up to one metre high. The ditch itself is seven metres across and between one and 1.5 metres deep. At the western end a stepped cutting continues for about 45 metres, narrowing as it climbs the slope. Local legend names the site as the home of a knight from Kronenberg, though no records survive. Visitors walk forest paths to reach the quiet clearing where the earthworks stand. The rampart and ditch form a low ring enclosing a small plateau. The stepped cutting adds a striking feature, its broad steps leading upward before fading into the hillside. The whole place feels remote, surrounded by tall trees and the sounds of the woodland.