Altena, Medieval castle town in Märkischer Kreis, Germany
Altena is a town in Märkischer Kreis, North Rhine-Westphalia, nestled in a narrow river valley between wooded slopes. The settlement stretches along the Lenne and climbs the hillsides, where residential areas alternate with forest patches.
Counts of Berg built the castle on a rocky spur above the Lenne valley in the early 12th century. The settlement grew into a Hanseatic town during medieval times and later became known for wire manufacturing.
Wire production shaped local craftsmanship for centuries and left visible traces in the building stock of the old town. Former workshop buildings with large windows line the streets, designed to bring daylight inside for wire processing.
Visitors reach the castle on foot via winding paths or by an elevator that cuts through the rock. The town center lies in the valley and is best explored on foot, as many streets are narrow and steep.
Richard Schirrmann founded the first youth hostel in the world inside the castle in 1912, and its original rooms remain open to visitors today. A museum inside documents this early form of organized youth tourism and its spread to other countries.
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