Castles · Halver

Wallburg auf dem Bollberg

Wallburg auf dem Bollberg
Frank Vincentz CC BY-SA 3.0

The Wallburg on the Bollberg is a ringwork earthwork near Halver in North Rhine-Westphalia. It sits on a spur between the Ennepe and Hartmeckebach rivers, about fifty metres above the Ennepe. The oval enclosure has a high earthen rampart on the south side with a deep rock-cut ditch in front. On the north side a terrace and a flat-bottomed ditch face the slope. A former quarry has removed part of the northern rampart, and the only entrance lies at the south-west corner.

Researchers such as P.D. Frommann and Wilhelm Claas once thought the site Saxon, but later work by Rolf Gensen and Manfred Sönnecken under August Stieren proved it a Carolingian–Ottonian Frankish foundation from the 9th century. Excavations found Badorf pottery and charcoal in the gateway, suggesting a fire from conflict. The fort guarded both the Saxon–Frankish border and the old road from Wipperfürth to Breckerfeld that crossed the Ennepe below.

Later the earthwork served as a refuge for the nearby Curtis Stieneichhofen estate, a late-medieval farm belonging to the high-status Stift St. Gereon. Today the ramparts and ditches remain clearly visible, offering a quiet spot to walk the old lines of defence and look across the valley.

Opening hours and admission can change with the season. Check before you go: halver.de

Sources (1)

Nearby

What lies right next door.

Back to Halver ← All places to visit in North Rhine-Westphalia