Sparrenberg Castle

Sparrenberg Castle is a fortress ruin in Bielefeld featuring a robust central tower, thick fortification walls, and underground passages carved into the rock below. The structure sits on a hillside in the city center and commands views of the surrounding landscape.

The castle was built before 1250 by the counts of Ravensberg to secure an important mountain pass in the region. It played a role in controlling local trade routes during the medieval period.

The castle grounds host the Sparrenburgfest during the last weekend of July, where participants demonstrate medieval crafts, music, and daily activities.

The grounds are freely accessible year-round, and reaching the castle involves walking up paths and stairs to the courtyard. The underground rooms can be explored with local guides to fully understand the passages and chambers.

A network of underground tunnels and chambers was only fully discovered and explored during twentieth-century archaeological excavations beneath the site. These hidden rooms had been forgotten for centuries and reveal how sophisticated medieval engineering had become.

Location: Bielefeld-Mitte

Inception: 1250

Elevation above the sea: 171 m

GPS coordinates: 52.01490,8.52677

Latest update: December 20, 2025 14:30