Diedrichsburg Castle

The current Diedrichsburg was constructed between 1844 and 1860 on behalf of General Ernst Freiherr von Vincke, whose family owned the nearby Ostenwalde estate. The construction was completed by his son-in-law, Count Werner von der Schulenburg-Wolfsburg, following plans by the Royal Hanoverian building councilor Emanuel Quaet-Faslem. Already in the 19th century, the castle was a destination for day-trippers. After a fire in 1909 destroyed the timberwork and staircase of the tower, the castle was not re-inhabited and managed until 1954. In 1963, the Vincke family established the wildlife enclosure around the castle. Following vandalism in 1983, the Melle-Mitte Beautification and Tourist Association took over the renovation and management from 1985. Archaeological findings suggest that buildings, possibly a refuge castle, existed at this site in earlier times.