Description: Altena Castle (German: Burg Altena) is a medieval castle on the hillside of the town of Altena in North Rhine-Westphalia. Built on a spur of the Klusenberg hill, the castle is located near the Lenne River in the Märkischer Kreis district.
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| Altena Castle |
The castle was built in the early 12th century by the 12th century Counts of Berg. Over time, the House of Berg left Altena and moved its residence to Hamm.
History
The castle was supposedly built by brothers Adolf and Everhard von Berg around 1108 after Henry V granted them land in Sauerland. On Wulfseck Mountain they built their castle, which they named Wulfeshagen, later Altena. This is one of the three legends of the creation of the province of Altena and the castle building.
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| Altena Castle |
After the Mark's acquisition near the town of Hamm in 1198, the Earls of Altena took Mark's Castle (Marksburg) as their primary residence and called themselves the Earls of the Mark. From time to time they inhabited the castle of Altena and from 1392 onwards it was used as a residence for the county sheriff (Amtmann).
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| Altena Castle |
In 1912, Richard Schirrmann established the world's first youth hostel inside the castle, which is still in use today (Jugendherberge Burg Altena).
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| Altena Castle |
Here, Professor Richard Schirrmann opened the world's first youth hostel in 1914. Altena Castle in North Rhine-Westphalia is more than 800 years old. It was rebuilt in 1918.