Burg Lindau: A Medieval Lowland Motte Castle in Germany
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.4
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- Germany
- Primary era
- Medieval
- Eras represented
- Medieval
- Civilizations
- Holy Roman Empire
- Site type
- Military
- Remains
- Castle
On this page6 sections
History
Burg Lindau is a ruined medieval lowland castle of motte type in Lindau, Germany, probably founded during the ninth or tenth century. A motte was a fortified site centered on a raised mound, usually carrying a tower or keep. Slavic pottery fragments point to an early foundation. The castle was first mentioned in 1179 under Lord Evererus of Lindau and later served local inhabitants as a refuge when enemies approached.
Early origins and medieval development
Burg Lindau occupied a defensible position in relatively flat, marshy terrain rather than on a mountain or hilltop. Its medieval history continued through the expansion of the castle during the fifteenth century. The settlement around it retained a protective function for local people, who used the castle as a refuge during threats, including the Thirty Years’ War, the major European conflict fought from 1618 to 1648.
Restoration and heritage status
After the castle fell into disrepair in the modern era, its tower was renewed in 1863 by Duke Leopold Friedrich, an Ascanian ruler. The Ascanian dynasty was a German ruling house whose members held territorial lordships and ducal titles in central Germany. Burg Lindau is designated as a heritage monument in Saxony-Anhalt.
Remains
The castle stands on a sandy spur extending into former marshland near the Nuthe. Steep slopes descend toward the river to the west and north. The complex was arranged as a main castle and an outer bailey, an enclosed area outside the principal castle, with a large cross ditch between them. A drawbridge connected the two sections.
Castle layout and entrance
The upper castle was enclosed by a brick curtain wall, meaning a defensive wall surrounding the main enclosure. A double entrance gate survives among the remains. The large cross ditch still expresses the separation between the main castle and outer bailey, while the former drawbridge indicates how the two areas were linked.
Keep and outer defenses
The centrally positioned round keep, the castle’s principal fortified tower, is approximately 12 metres across, with walls 2.6 metres thick. The keep and the enclosing wall remain well preserved. West of the castle, a well-preserved outer rampart rises several metres high and forms part of the surviving defensive landscape.
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