Burg im Dannsee

Beckdorf, Germany, Germany

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Burg im Dannsee, near Beckdorf in Germany, was a medieval moated castle built in the early 14th century by the robber baron Heinrich von Borch, known as "Isern Hinnerk," on an island in the now-silted Dannsee lake amid the Beckdorf Moor. Constructed around 1307-1310 during his time as Vogt of Vörde, the trapezoidal fortress measured about 55 by 35 meters, featuring wooden palisades, buildings, and a bridge for access across the marshy terrain. It served as his refuge for raids and feuds against the Archbishopric of Bremen, but in 1311, during the Battle of Beckdorf, Archbishop Jens Grand besieged and destroyed it using catapults called Bliden, leaving only outlines marked today by stones and a hedge, with cannonball remnants still visible nearby. The site now offers a glimpse into medieval warfare, complemented by a nearby diorama and replica catapult at the Beekhoff farmstead.