Burg Berge, Castle ruin in Odenthal, Germany

Burg Berge is a castle ruin perched on a steep hill above the Dhunn River in the Bergisches Land Nature Park area. Stone walls and archaeological excavation areas mark the remains of this medieval fortified residence.

The castle was built around 1060 and served as the first fortified residence of the Counts of Berg. It was abandoned around 1133 when the family moved to Neuenberge Castle.

The name Berg refers to the hilltop location, which remains visible in the landscape today. Walking around the ruins, visitors can appreciate why this elevated position made it valuable as a fortified residence.

The ruins lie on a steep slope by the Dhünn, southwest of Altenberg. An unpaved road runs through the former castle ditch, and the plateau of the castle hill forms the old courtyard. The above-ground remains are faint, so look for moss-covered rubble walls with mortar traces.

The largest rise on the site is an artificial mound, likely the one that gave the Counts "von Berge" their name and later the Bergisches Land its name. Excavations in 1981 found a bone dice, a bone gaming piece, a gilded two-part pendant and coins in rubbish heaps on the steep slopes.