Stamp point 208 / Grillenburg castle ruins

The ruins of Grillenburg Castle are located east of the Sangerhausen district and state-approved resort of Grillenburg.

Gril­len­berg was first men­tio­ned as ear­ly as the 9th cen­tu­ry in a direc­to­ry of the Hers­feld monas­tery as a place „Cori­le­dorpf“ sub­ject to tithes. In 1217, today’s ruins were first men­tio­ned in docu­ments as „Burg Grel­len­berch“, which ser­ved to pro­tect the Sang­erhäu­ser Mul­de. The use of brick as a buil­ding mate­ri­al is par­ti­cu­lar­ly noteworthy. 

In a feud in 1361, the cast­le and the town were cap­tu­red by the Count of Mans­feld, who had to give ever­y­thing back just one year later. During the sie­ge of the cast­le, the local far­mers suf­fe­r­ed gre­at dama­ge, so that they were exempt­ed from all ser­vices and duties for three years. 

In 1366, the cast­le came into the pos­ses­si­on of Duke Magnus of Bruns­wick. From 1485 to 1547, the cast­le was given as a fief to the von Mor­un­gen fami­ly and then rever­ted to the Saxon office of Sang­erhau­sen. It is assu­med that the cast­le slow­ly fell into dis­re­pair after this time but was still inha­bi­ted at times. 

Gril­len­berg was affec­ted by the witch hunt from 1607–1614. Doro­thea Krau­se was caught up in a witch tri­al and was bur­ned to death in 1608. In 1614, a woman resis­ted tor­tu­re twice and was expel­led from the country. 

The best start­ing point for a hike to Gril­len­burg Cast­le is the par­king lot at the forest pool in Gril­len­berg. From the­re, fol­low the sign­pos­ted hiking trail to the cast­le ruins.