Lichtenstein Castle

The castle stood on a circular castle mound about 50 m in diameter, which was probably artificially raised. With a surrounding ring moat and another outer rampart, the entire complex has a diameter of about 90 m.

The only stone remnant of the complex is a section of wall made of light gypsum stones on the north side of the castle mound. It is 9 m long, 4.5 m high, and 1 m thick. Wall foundations suggest that the stone remnant belonged to a ring wall that enclosed the entire castle mound. Because of the light stones of its outer wall, the castle was formerly also called Silberburg (Silver Castle). Archaeological investigations of the castle site, including for the detection of further stone structures, have not yet been carried out.

The castle was first mentioned in a document in 1404. Earlier spellings were Lechtensteyn and also Lechtenstein. In 1404 and 1406, the castle was documented as the property of Duke Erich I of Grubenhagen. According to other, unverified sources, the castle is said to have existed as early as the mid-13th century, when members of the noble family of Letgast served as burgmannen there. It is mentioned at this time among the castles of Duke Heinrich the Wondrous and is said to have been destroyed in the war between Landgrave Friedrich III of Thuringia and Albrecht I of Grubenhagen in 1365.

During the 15th century, the castle complex was pledged to various knights, including the robber knight Herwig von Utze, who belonged to an old Lüneburg noble family. When he attacked Goslar in 1438, this shortly thereafter resulted in a military campaign against him, which was announced by a report from the city council to Hans von Roringen on October 4, 1439. A document dated October 24, 1439, mentions that Lichtenstein Castle was conquered, burned down, but soon rebuilt. Subsequently, disputes arose regarding the ownership of the castle, which belonged to the Dukes of Grubenhagen, but was temporarily in the possession of the city of Goslar due to the campaign against Herwig von Utze. A reconciliation was only achieved on April 7, 1442, under the arbitration of the city of Osterode. In 1481, the castle was pledged to the Grubenhagen knight Ludolf von der Linde. Another pledge is known from 1507, when Elisabeth, the widow of Duke Albrecht II, and her sons Philipp and Erich, bequeathed the castle to Hans and Albrecht von Leuthorst (or Lauthorst) for 400 guilders. The castle had in the meantime been pledged to Ludolf von der Linde and his nephew, Joachim von der Linde, until November 25, 1507. A final documentary mention of the castle occurred in 1567 when Duke Wolfgang of Grubenhagen provided his brother Philipp with firewood from the Lichtenstein as needed. This suggests that due to the exclusive mention of the forest area of the same name, the castle no longer existed.

After the Thirty Years' War, the castle ruin served as a hideout for the robber Hans Warnecke from Eisdorf. He wreaked havoc in the Harz foreland and attacked anyone in uniform. He did not return to an orderly life after the war, as soldiers killed his family after the Battle of Lutter. According to legend, he was captured in Osterode and sentenced to death by quartering.

In 1972, three local historians from Osterode searched for a possible secret passage or escape tunnel beneath the castle. A few hundred meters down the valley, they found a narrow 50 m long underground passage, which, however, turned out to be a previously undiscovered natural cave. It was initially named Rotkamp Cave, but was later renamed Lichtenstein Cave.