Time travel to the 12th century
September 14: Visit Rothehof Castle on Open Monument Day
As every year, the nationwide Open Monument Day takes place on the second Sunday in September. That's why we're taking you on a little journey into the past on September 14 and visiting Rothehof Castle in the city forest together. Our Lower Monument Protection Authority is currently carrying out excavations at the ancient monument and will be presenting its findings in two guided tours.
"The guided tours on Open Monument Day offer the rare opportunity to experience the ongoing archaeological work up close and personal and to see a monument that is inconspicuous to the layman," explains Kai-Uwe Hirschheide, First City Councillor and City Planning Officer. "This year, archaeological monument preservation is focusing on the question of how medieval castle complexes can be preserved in the long term."
The guided tours last around 30 minutes and start at 1 pm and 2 pm. The state of preservation of the tower mound and the rampart in front of it, which are now considered important evidence of medieval fortification art, will also be explained. The medieval Rothehof tower mound castle is located in the Rabenberg district between Burgwall and Rothehof streets. It is only a few minutes' walk from the Rotheburg spring.
Rothehof as the forerunner of Wolfsburg?
Rothehof Castle is one of the oldest medieval remains in our town. Originally, it was a fortified tower mound castle (so-called motte), which played a strategically important role at the entrance to the primeval valley of the Aller. It is thought to have been a precursor to Wolfsburg Castle (now Wolfsburg Palace). As early as 1169, a nobleman, Bertold von Rothehof (in the original text Bertold de Rotheshof), is mentioned as a witness in a document of Henry the Lion. The mention in this important document underlines the special strategic importance of the complex.
Today, the castle can only be seen as an earth mound with a rampart in front of it in the forest. The well-preserved tower mound of Rothehof Castle is located in the Rabenberg district.
Germany's largest cultural event
The Open Monument Day is a nationwide day of action organized by the German Foundation for Monument Protection and this year's motto is "Valuable: priceless or irreplaceable". With over 5,000 participating monuments, the Open Monument Day is the largest cultural event in Germany. Further information on Rothehof Castle and the program of events can be found on the website of the German Foundation for Monument Protection at https://www.tag-des-offenen-denkmals.de/.