Discovery tour Blankenrode

Town fortification Blankenrode

Over 750 years ago, Blankenrode was founded as a fortress to dominate the surrounding area and to control the Warburger Weg. The 1.4 km long rampart, surrounded by a moat, consisted mainly of earth and was reinforced with a sandstone wall in some places. In the east of the complex there was a castle, protected by its own rampart and a deep moat. However, after only 150 years, the town was destroyed and abandoned. Today, only a few remnants remind of the former town, buried under a green cover. Nevertheless, Blankenrode is considered one of the most exciting archaeological sites in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Lead hill

The lead hill of Blankenrode is unique. The soil on the spoil heaps and in the lead hill contains heavy metals and is toxic to ordinary plants. However, the species of calamine plants have adapted to these heavy metal soils in such a way that they can only grow on these soils. Many of the plant species at the lead hill - spring sandwort, calamine campion, calamine rockcress, spring sandwort, calamine sea-kale, and others - are rare and endangered because they occur only in a few places. However, unique among the calamine plants in Europe is the blue-violet calamine violet at the lead hill of Blankenrode, which botanists call "Viola guestphalica".