Alteburg, Schotten, Former water castle in Schotten, Germany

Alteburg is a former water castle in Schotten, Hesse, of which only a half-timbered house with a gabled roof remains, built around 1605 on parts of the massive foundations. The house stands on an artificially raised mound and is still encircled by a circular moat fed by the Nidda. The building is privately owned and not open to the public, but the surrounding Alteburgpark is freely accessible.

A ring wall from the Hallstatt period preceded the site, and around 1000 a water castle with a circular moat fed by the Nidda was built on an artificial mound, guarding a long-distance road. The Rhenish League of Towns destroyed it in 1382 and it was not rebuilt. A dwelling house rose on the ruins around 1515, first recorded in 1547 as the "old Kemenate". Around 1605 Wilhelm von Günderrode had the remains cleared and built a half-timbered house on the massive foundations as a widow's residence.

The castle was a key place for controlling trade routes over the Vogelsberg heights and held importance in the region's economic life. Visitors can still understand this strategic role when walking through the park and looking out at the surrounding landscape.

The castle sits on private grounds and is not open to the public, but the surrounding Alteburg Park can be visited from outside. The park offers good views of the grounds and surrounding area from different angles.

The castle shows a rare combination of medieval foundation walls with half-timbered structures from the 17th century, built during different periods. This layering of different building styles tells the story of how the place was transformed multiple times.