Harbke Castle

The castle's origins date back to the 14th century when Bertram and Ludolf von Veltheim took over the lordship of Harbke and built a moated castle called “Hertbike” in a wet depression on the outskirts of the village. This castle was protected by a double system of water and moats. Between 1572 and 1586, Achaz von Veltheim had a Renaissance castle complex built on the foundations of this circular castle. This new building consisted of two three-story wing structures, angled to each other and connected by a polygonal stair tower. A fire in 1731 severely damaged large parts of the castle, leading to extensive restoration work on the outbuildings starting in 1733.