Winsen Castle

The origins of Winsen Castle lie in a fortress built at a Luhe river crossing. It was first documented in 1315, with indications pointing to an earlier existence around 1277. In 1371, at the beginning of the Lüneburg War of Succession, the Grand Bailiwick of Lüneburg was relocated to Winsen, and the castle subsequently served as an administrative center for the Welf estates in the northern Principality of Lüneburg. The castle was repeatedly pledged, including to the cities of Lüneburg, Hamburg, and Lübeck, as well as to the Electors of Saxony. In the early 17th century, it was the site of witch trials and from 1593 to 1617 served as the dower house for Dorothea of Brunswick-Lüneburg, who initiated the renovation of the castle chapel.