Wewelsburg
Wewelsburg is a triangular Renaissance castle in Büren, North Rhine-Westphalia, built 1603–1609 as a residence for the prince-bishops of Paderborn. In 1934 SS chief Heinrich Himmler leased it for a symbolic 1 Reichsmark per year and turned it into an ideological center for SS leadership. The North Tower crypt and the Obergruppenführersaal — its floor inlaid with the Black Sun symbol — were remodeled for ritual use. A nearby concentration camp, KZ Niederhagen, provided forced labor; of some 3,900 prisoners, 1,285 died of typhus and 56 were executed. Himmler ordered it blown up on 31 March 1945, days before U.S. forces arrived.
Restored postwar, it now houses a regional history museum, a memorial on SS ideology and terror, and a youth hostel.
Visitor information
- Location
- Germany
- Country
- Germany
- Tier
- C (Worth a visit if you're already in the area)
- Coordinates
- 51.6068, 8.6514
- Official site
- http://www.wewelsburg.de/de/index.php
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Wewelsburg?
- Wewelsburg is in Germany, Germany (approximately 51.6068, 8.6514).
- Can you visit Wewelsburg?
- Yes — Wewelsburg is open to visitors; see the official site at http://www.wewelsburg.de/de/index.php for hours and tickets.
- What tier is Wewelsburg on the Castle Atlas?
- Wewelsburg is rated C tier on the Castle Atlas — Worth a visit if you're already in the area.
- What can you see at Wewelsburg?
- Wewelsburg is a triangular Renaissance castle in Büren, North Rhine-Westphalia, built 1603–1609 as a residence for the prince-bishops of Paderborn. In 1934 SS chief Heinrich Himmler leased it for a symbolic 1 Reichsmark per year and turned it into an ideological center for SS leadership. The North Tower crypt and the Obergruppenführersaal — its floor inlaid with the Black Sun symbol — were remodeled for ritual use. A nearby concentration camp, KZ Niederhagen, provided forced labor; of some 3,900 prisoners, 1,285 died of typhus and 56 were executed. Himmler ordered it blown up on 31 March 1945, days before U.S. forces arrived.