Fallersleben Castle

The castle's origins date back to the early 16th century. Following the destruction of a predecessor during the Hildesheim Diocesan Feud between 1518 and 1523, construction of the current castle began. Duke Franz of Brunswick and Lüneburg, who also commissioned Gifhorn Castle, initiated the building between 1520 and 1551. However, he passed away before its completion. His widow, Klara of Saxe-Lauenburg, took over the castle as her dower seat and completed the construction in 1551. She lived in Fallersleben for over 27 years and shaped the town's development. Originally laid out in a U-shape and surrounded by a wide moat, the castle lost its character as a moated castle until archaeological excavations in 1998 reconstructed parts of the moat and a bridge. Of the original three wings, only the west wing with a stair tower remains today. After Klara's death, the castle was administered by bailiffs and, from the mid-17th century, no longer served as a ducal residence but as an administrative seat for state authorities, including the tax office and district court. Between 2001 and 2003, the castle underwent historically appropriate renovation.