Dankwarderode Castle, castle on Burgplatz in Brunswick, Germany
Dankwarderode Castle is a two-storey hall building, 42 by 15 metres, on the Burgplatz in Braunschweig. Its ground floor, the Knappensaal, has a column arcade; the upper Rittersaal faces Münzstraße with Romanesque windows. The façade toward Burgplatz, with the inscription "Jung Dankwarderode", is a historicist reconstruction by Ludwig Winter (1887–1906).
The castle arose in the second half of the 12th century as the seat of Brunswick's dukes and was for a long time the center of ducal power in the city. When the ruling family later resided elsewhere, the complex fell into decline until it was revived in the 19th century.
The interior holds artwork and objects showing how the ruling family lived and governed during the Middle Ages and later periods. The rooms tell stories through their collections about the power and tastes of those who occupied the castle.
The location is easily reached on foot from the city center and is surrounded by public spaces that invite lingering. Visitors should check opening times in advance as these can vary by season.
The original Brunswick Lion, cast in the 12th century and set up on the neighbouring Burgplatz, now stands in the ground-floor Knappensaal. The same room displays the emperor's cloak of Otto IV. The upper Rittersaal, rebuilt in the early 1990s, is used for events and changing exhibitions and is otherwise closed to visitors.
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