Can you visit the Burg am Backofen?

There is no visit in the usual sense, as nothing of the structure survives; what remains is a ditch in the forest, freely accessible on foot.

How old is the Burg am Backofen?

Researchers currently date it to between the 11th and early 13th century, though this is not firmly established.

How do you get to the site?

It is reached on foot via a roughly 6 km hiking trail starting in Schmittlotheim and passing the Hagenstein rock.

Who built this fortification?

The builders remain unknown; a possible link to a local ministerial family recorded between 1226 and 1283 has been suggested but not proven.

Burg am Backofen

Schmittlotheim

Access

No visits on recordNo opening hours or ticketing found

Where: Schmittlotheim

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Sleep nearby

Burg am Backofen stands in Schmittlotheim (Landkreis Waldeck-Frankenberg), in Hesse, Germany. No visits are on record for this building.

The Burg am Backofen, also known as Burg über dem Backofen, marks the site of a former hilltop fortification near Schmittlotheim that has long since vanished, perched on a wooded spur above the Eder valley. Little is known about its past: researchers now place it between the 11th and early 13th century, though no family can be firmly linked to it. No standing structures remain today, only a clearly visible double ditch cut into the ground. Visitors typically come across it while walking rather than touring a monument in the usual sense.

What to know

No standing structure remains, only a double ditch still marks where the fortification once stood.
The site is freely accessible at any time, with no opening hours or entrance fee, since it is not a managed monument.
It is reached via a roughly 6 km circular hiking trail starting in Schmittlotheim, which also passes the Hagenstein viewpoint rock.
This stretch shares its path with the Kellerwaldsteig, a long-distance trail of about 156 km.
Sturdy footwear is advisable, as the wooded, sloped terrain is unsuitable for strollers or visitors with limited mobility.

Where this château is

Schmittlotheim · Landkreis Waldeck-Frankenberg · Hessen

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Schmittlotheim, Landkreis Waldeck-Frankenberg

Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.

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Heritage status: Protection status unknown

In pictures

Frequently asked

Can you visit the Burg am Backofen?: There is no visit in the usual sense, as nothing of the structure survives; what remains is a ditch in the forest, freely accessible on foot.
How old is the Burg am Backofen?: Researchers currently date it to between the 11th and early 13th century, though this is not firmly established.
How do you get to the site?: It is reached on foot via a roughly 6 km hiking trail starting in Schmittlotheim and passing the Hagenstein rock.
Who built this fortification?: The builders remain unknown; a possible link to a local ministerial family recorded between 1226 and 1283 has been suggested but not proven.