Iburg Castle (Ruin) (Bad Driburg)

The Iburg's history begins in the 8th century as a Saxon refuge castle. New research suggests that the mention of “castrum Juberg” in the Frankish Imperial Annals for the year 753 refers to this site. After its conquest by Charlemagne, a St. Peter's Church was built here, and the castle was gifted to the Paderborn Church in 799. In 1134, the Iburg briefly housed a Benedictine nunnery, before Bishop Bernhard II of Paderborn had a large stone knight's castle built in 1189. In the 15th century, the castle lost its significance and was finally destroyed by Otto von Braunschweig in 1444, never to be rebuilt. After the extinction of the Knights of Driburg, the city of Driburg inherited the ruin and the surrounding forests. In 1900, archaeological excavations and investigations began, which have been continued several times since then, accompanied by preservation measures.