Erdenburg

Erdenburg is an archaeological site with castle ruins on a strategic hilltop near Bergisch Gladbach. The complex features multiple nested ramparts and ditches that provided protection and allowed control of the surrounding area.

Archaeological digs in the 1930s identified Erdenburg as a Late Iron Age fortification built around 310 BCE. This period saw intense competition between tribal groups in the region.

The site shows how people here protected their communities more than 2000 years ago by building ramparts and ditches. This location reflects the everyday security concerns of that time and explains why hilltop positions mattered so much.

You can reach the site via marked trails from central Bergisch Gladbach. Information boards along the way explain the archaeological finds and why this fortification mattered to ancient peoples.

Erdenburg contains no remains of permanent living structures, suggesting it served only as a refuge during danger. People from surrounding villages sought shelter here when needed but lived elsewhere most of the time.