Lauenburg Castle

The Lauenburg is a ruined medieval castle in the East Harz in central Germany situated on an elevation southwest of the village of Stecklenberg in Harz district in the state of Saxony-Anhalt in the former German Democratic Republic .

The ruins of the Lauenburg stand on a foothill of the Ramberg massif above the village of Stecklenberg. It was built by Henry IV and first mentioned in the records in 1164. The construction of the two-part castle with its inner and outer wards probably took up to ten years. The two halves of the castle are separated by a massive defensive ditch , hewn out of the rock. The purpose of this impressive fortification with a total length of more than 350 metres was the protection of Quedlinburg and the nearby military roads. In 1180 the Lauenburg was captured by Frederick I during a series of warlike conflicts. Later robber barons resided in the castle for periods of time, until it was destroyed in the 14th century.

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