Where is Burg Ringelstein located?

It stands near Büren, in the Kreis Paderborn in North Rhine-Westphalia, on a ridge above the Alme valley.

Why is Burg Ringelstein linked to witch trials?

During the Thirty Years' War the site held a court of the lordship of Büren where dozens of people were tried and executed for witchcraft, notably in 1631.

Is Burg Ringelstein a protected monument?

It is listed as a Baudenkmal in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Burg Ringelstein

Ringelstein Castle

Büren

Access

No visits on recordNo opening hours or ticketing found

Where: Büren

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Sleep nearby

Burg Ringelstein stands in Büren (Kreis Paderborn), in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The building is a listed Baudenkmal. No visits are on record for this building.

Set on a narrow ridge above the Alme valley, the ruined Burg Ringelstein occupies a site chosen around 1383 by the lords of Büren to guard the surrounding land. Visitors today find vaulted cellars, underground passages and the remains of a massive defensive tower that once rose some twenty metres. The site also carries a darker history, having served during the Thirty Years' War as the scene of witch trials, recalled by the so called witches' cellar.

What to know

The site is an open air ruin, reachable on foot from the hamlet of Harth, part of Büren.
Excavation and restoration work carried out since 2006 has uncovered vaulted cellars, underground passages and a defensive tower.
The ridge top location means an uphill approach, so sturdy footwear is advisable.
No opening hours, fees or visitor facilities are listed, so access appears to be free and unsupervised.

Where this château is

Büren · Kreis Paderborn · Nordrhein-Westfalen

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Harthberg, 33142 Büren-Harth

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

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Heritage status: Baudenkmal in Nordrhein-Westfalen

In pictures

Frequently asked

Where is Burg Ringelstein located?: It stands near Büren, in the Kreis Paderborn in North Rhine-Westphalia, on a ridge above the Alme valley.
What remains of Burg Ringelstein today?: It is a ruin where excavations have revealed vaulted cellars, underground passages and the remains of a nearly twenty metre defensive tower.
Why is Burg Ringelstein linked to witch trials?: During the Thirty Years' War the site held a court of the lordship of Büren where dozens of people were tried and executed for witchcraft, notably in 1631.
Is Burg Ringelstein a protected monument?: It is listed as a Baudenkmal in North Rhine-Westphalia.