Wetterburg, Castle ruin in Wetterburg, Germany.

Wetterburg is a castle ruin perched on a strategic hilltop and still displays masonry from the medieval period. The visible stone structures give a clear picture of how the castle was built and what rooms it once contained.

Construction of the fortress began in 1306 for regional rulers seeking to secure their territory. It became an important stronghold during the power struggles between nobles competing for control of the area.

The ruins show building styles typical of medieval nobles, with thick walls and spaces designed for both defense and living. You can still see how inhabitants once used these structures to protect themselves and conduct daily life.

The ruin stands at the northern edge of Wetterburg, about 300 metres north-northwest of the Twistesee dam, built between 1973 and 1978. The surviving 1576 forecourt building, rebuilt after a 1669 fire, now houses training rooms, a restaurant and a holiday flat on the second floor.

Götz von Berlichingen ambushed Count Philipp II of Waldeck in front of the castle in March 1516 and abducted him for ransom, which led to Berlichingen's second outlawry in 1518. In the 19th century Ludwig Bechstein recorded a local legend that a ghost in the shape of a brandy barrel haunts the ruin.