Burg Stromberg

The castle occupies a hill on the Beckumer Berge and is notable as the region’s primary hill castle after another local fortress was repurposed as a monastery. Its plan is almost triangular and it covers roughly 30,000 square metres. A continuous curtain wall once ran for about 745 metres around the complex. From the high point at the church the ground reaches about 154.59 metres above sea level, while much of the remainder of the site sits near 151.15 metres, which together provided long lines of sight to the east and south.

Natural slope provided strong protection to the south and west, where steep ground was reinforced by thick defensive walls. The east and north sides were defended by two parallel walls with ditches excavated between them, creating layered obstacles for attackers. Access from the direction of the modern Münsterstraße led first through an outer tower in front of the Paulusturm, and the Paulusturm itself was protected by a drawbridge. The gate sequence opened into three separate courts: the first court, the retainers’ court, contains the Kreuzkirche; a second court was entered through another arch flanked by two shield-houses; a smaller third court lies on the western side of the southern bailey and served as the administrative square.

Buildings within the courts provided living quarters and administrative space. The courtyards held the houses of the castle retainers and the burgrave’s household. A stone well between the Paulusturm and the Kreuzkirche descends to about 30 metres, and the Paulusturm reaches roughly 30 metres in height. The burgrave’s principal residence, the great hall (palas), was set along the southern curtain wall. Several watchtowers once punctuated the defensive line. The Mallinckrodthaus survives at the left side of the retainers’ court and gives a tangible sense of the former domestic range. Overall the complex remains as substantial ruins with surviving structural elements that record its defensive layout, its water supply, its courts and its church.