Petersburg

Petersburg was a five-pointed star fortress built from 1628 onward in southeastern Osnabrück with walls and bastions. The complex connected directly to the city walls and formed a closed defensive system.

A prince-bishop ordered the fortress built during the Thirty Years' War to enforce Counter-Reformation in the Protestant city. After the war ended, citizens decided to dismantle the entire complex and destroy it completely.

The place lives on today mainly through street names like 'An der Petersburg' that guide visitors through the old town. These names remind people of the time when the fortress shaped the city's life.

No preserved structures remain to see today since the entire fortress was destroyed after the war. A visit focuses on the grounds themselves and the streets that still recall its location.

The complete destruction of the fortress by city residents was a rare example of collective resistance against military oppression. This radical act shows how much the population had despised the complex as a symbol of foreign rule.

Location: Osnabrück

GPS coordinates: 52.26680,8.05906

Latest update: December 9, 2025 12:21