The Old Castle in Osterode, Harz

image author: Axel Gömann


The conserved half-cylinder from the living tower of the Old Castle of Osterode stems from the Romanesque period.

It safeguarded the ascent to the Harz.
After the defence facility got into disuse it was used as living quarters for widows of the Grubenhagener kings.

With its measurements (diameter at the base: 14,5m, height now ca. 34,5m) it is one of Middle-Europe's biggest donjon. It was build from big debris which were held together by rough plaster concrete.

Because of the high building technique quality of this local typical historical building material, the ruin lasted to the present. The building body is through ageing and weathering processes increasingly endangered.

Often little parts of the upper tower area are falling down. Sometimes blocks on both sides of the face stones tumble down. Deep cuts cross through the upper areas of the brickwork; that's why crashes become more likely.

As restoring grout, after mixed plaster grout is being recommended for building technical reasons as well as the protection of the material identity. The recipe is right now in the testing stage.

For the after use, after successful saving and restoration, the building of an observation platform at the tower is being discussed.