Wittekindsberg
Encyclopedia
The Wittekindsberg is a hill, , which forms the easternmost peak of the Wiehen Hills and is also the western guardian of the Weser gorge, the Porta Westfalica
, in North Rhine-Westphalia
(Germany
).
The hill is well-known, especially as the site of the Emperor William Monument (Kaiser Wilhelm Denkmal), but also for the Moltke Tower and Wittekind Castle.
district directly northwest of the village of Barkhausen within the borough of Porta Westfalica
, and about 6 km south-southwest of the town of Minden
. It is located due west of the Porta Westfalica gorge (the "Westphalian Gate"), that lies on the northern edge of the Weser Uplands and the southern border of the North German Plain
and through which the River Weser flows from the uplands northwards into the plain. To the east is the Jakobsberg
, which is the westernmost hill of the Wesergebirge
and the eastern guardian overlooking the gorge.
The Wittekindsberg is surrounded by the eastern areas of the North Teutoburg Forest-Wiehen Hills Nature Park that extends from just in front of Bückeburg
into the Wesergebirge.
. It is a popular destination because it has good views over some of the surrounding hills, the Weser valley and the southern part of the North German Plain.
) west of the Emperor William Monument on the highest point of the Wittekindsberg is the Moltke Tower, built in 1828/29 as the Wittekindsstein observation tower
and, in 1906, was renamed the Moltke Tower in honour of Field Marshal Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke (1800 to 1891). From its observation deck at a height of 13.9 m, there are views of the surrounding hill country as well as the Weser depression
and the southern fringes of the North German Plain.
with its nearby Wittekind well, now dried up. In 1996, within the Iron Age
and Early Medieval refuge castle the foundations of the Church of the Cross (Kreuzkirche) were discovered which, thanks to conservation measures, are now open to the general public. Near the foundations is the Chapel of St. Margaret (Margarethenkapelle) from the 12th century. An inn (built in 1896/96) attracts hikers and walkers in good weather.
motorways not far to the south as well as side roads that lead to the hill.
In addition the Wittekindesberg is linked to the Deutsche Bahn
railway network by Porta station, which is part of Porta Westfalica and situated at the western foot of the Jakobsberg on the east bank of the Weser.
The Wittekindsberg is covered by a good network of walking trails, including the European long-distance path E11
from which the points of interest on the hill may be reached.
Porta Westfalica (gorge)
thumb|Weser watershedThe Porta Westfalica is a gorge and water gap, where the Weser river runs through the passage between the mountain chains of the Wiehengebirge in the west and the Wesergebirge in the east...
, in North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
(Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
).
The hill is well-known, especially as the site of the Emperor William Monument (Kaiser Wilhelm Denkmal), but also for the Moltke Tower and Wittekind Castle.
Geography
The Wittekindsberg rises at the eastern end of the Wiehen Hills im Minden-LübbeckeMinden-Lübbecke
Minden-Lübbecke is a Kreis in the northeastern part of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Diepholz, Nienburg, Schaumburg, Lippe, Herford, Osnabrück.-Geography:...
district directly northwest of the village of Barkhausen within the borough of Porta Westfalica
Porta Westfalica
Porta Westfalica is a town in the district of Minden-Lübbecke, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The name “Porta Westfalica” is Latin and means “gate to Westphalia”. Coming from the north, the gorge is the entry to the region of Westphalia...
, and about 6 km south-southwest of the town of Minden
Minden
Minden is a town of about 83,000 inhabitants in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The town extends along both sides of the river Weser. It is the capital of the Kreis of Minden-Lübbecke, which is part of the region of Detmold. Minden is the historic political centre of the...
. It is located due west of the Porta Westfalica gorge (the "Westphalian Gate"), that lies on the northern edge of the Weser Uplands and the southern border of the North German Plain
North German plain
The North German Plain or Northern Lowland is one of the major geographical regions of Germany. It is the German part of the North European Plain...
and through which the River Weser flows from the uplands northwards into the plain. To the east is the Jakobsberg
Jakobsberg (Porta Westfalica)
The Jakobsberg is a hill, , that forms the westernmost peak of the Wesergebirge chain and is the eastern guardian of the Weser gorge, the Porta Westfalica or "Westphalian Gate", in North Rhine-Westphalia ....
, which is the westernmost hill of the Wesergebirge
Wesergebirge
The Wesergebirge is a low mountain chain up to high in the Weser Uplands in the German states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony....
and the eastern guardian overlooking the gorge.
The Wittekindsberg is surrounded by the eastern areas of the North Teutoburg Forest-Wiehen Hills Nature Park that extends from just in front of Bückeburg
Bückeburg
Bückeburg is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, on the border with North Rhine Westphalia. It was once the capital of the tiny principality of Schaumburg-Lippe and is today located in the district of Schaumburg close to the northern slopes of the Weserbergland ridge...
into the Wesergebirge.
Emperor William Monument
On the east slopes of the Wittekindsberg, at a height of about , is the Emperor William Monument, built in 1896 in honour of the emperor, William IWilliam I, German Emperor
William I, also known as Wilhelm I , of the House of Hohenzollern was the King of Prussia and the first German Emperor .Under the leadership of William and his Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, Prussia achieved the unification of Germany and the...
. It is a popular destination because it has good views over some of the surrounding hills, the Weser valley and the southern part of the North German Plain.
Moltke Tower
About 1 km (as the crow fliesAs the crow flies
"As the crow flies" or beelining is an idiom for the shortest route between two points; the geodesic distance.An example is the great-circle distance between Key West and Pensacola, at either end of the U.S...
) west of the Emperor William Monument on the highest point of the Wittekindsberg is the Moltke Tower, built in 1828/29 as the Wittekindsstein observation tower
Observation tower
An observation tower is a structure used to view events from a long distance and to create a full 360 degree range of vision. They are usually at least tall and made from stone, iron, and wood. Many modern towers are also used as TV towers, restaurants, or churches...
and, in 1906, was renamed the Moltke Tower in honour of Field Marshal Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke (1800 to 1891). From its observation deck at a height of 13.9 m, there are views of the surrounding hill country as well as the Weser depression
Weser Depression
North of Porta Westfalica in Germany the River Weser no longer flows through a valley, but a broad plain known as the Weser Depression , consisting of meadows and river terraces.The depression is accompanied by geest ridges in places...
and the southern fringes of the North German Plain.
Wittekind Castle
Around 450 m due west of the Moltke Tower at about is Wittekind Castle, a former refuge castleRefuge castle
A refuge castle is a castle-like defensive location, usually surrounded by ramparts, that is not permanently occupied but acts as a temporary retreat for the local population when threatened by war or attack...
with its nearby Wittekind well, now dried up. In 1996, within the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
and Early Medieval refuge castle the foundations of the Church of the Cross (Kreuzkirche) were discovered which, thanks to conservation measures, are now open to the general public. Near the foundations is the Chapel of St. Margaret (Margarethenkapelle) from the 12th century. An inn (built in 1896/96) attracts hikers and walkers in good weather.
Transport links
Near the Wittekindsberg the B 61, B 65 and B 482 federal roads cross one another. These provide links to the A 2 and A 30Bundesautobahn 30
is a highway in northwestern Germany. It runs from west to east, starting at the Dutch border. On the border it connects with the Dutch A1 motorway, hence, the A 30 is part of the important European connection Berlin - Amsterdam...
motorways not far to the south as well as side roads that lead to the hill.
In addition the Wittekindesberg is linked to the Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany...
railway network by Porta station, which is part of Porta Westfalica and situated at the western foot of the Jakobsberg on the east bank of the Weser.
The Wittekindsberg is covered by a good network of walking trails, including the European long-distance path E11
European walking route E11
The E11 European long distance path or E11 path is one of the European long-distance paths, running 2500 km west-east from The Hague in the Netherlands through Germany and Poland....
from which the points of interest on the hill may be reached.
Source
- Heinrich Rüthing: Der Wittekindsberg bei Minden als »heilige Stätte«. 1000 bis 2000. Verlag für Regionalgeschichte, Bielefeld 2008. ISBN 978-3-89534-685-9 (Religion in der Geschichte, Bd. 15)