Attractions and Places To See around Ichstedt - Top 20

At the heart of the western upper castle rises the Barbarossa Tower, a defensive and residential tower that once served as the lords' last refuge. Today, it houses two exhibitions on the history of the keep and the Kyffhäuser region's tradition of earthwork sculpture. Surrounded by partially preserved curtain walls, the foundations of the palace and kitchen building, and the historic Erfurt Gate, the world-famous deepest castle well in the world is located opposite the tower. Information about opening hours and admission prices can be found here: https://www.kyffhaeuser-denkmal.de/mein-besuch/.

According to this, Emperor Barbarossa sits asleep in the underground castle at a stone table

The monument to the Kaiser Embassy is an impressive reminder of a historic event

Solving the social question was one of the most important goals for the Kyffhäuser Association of German Student Associations (VVDSt) when it was founded on August 8, 1881. Therefore, on November 17, 1881, the associations enthusiastically embraced the "Social Message" of Kaiser Wilhelm I, whose call for welfare for the German working class, announced before the Reichstag, laid the foundation for German social policy. The VDSt devoted a large portion of their practical work (conducting workers' education courses and participating in nursing courses) and theoretical work (internal and public lectures, visiting factories) to the social question. By the end of the 1880s, the VDSt had succeeded in drawing attention to this problem within the student body. The outward symbol of this commitment was the erection of the so-called "Embassy Memorial Stone." This displayed part of the text of the Imperial Message on a bronze plaque surrounded by a Romanesque arch. On August 8, 1896, the Kyffhäuser Association dedicated the Embassy Memorial Stone, a monument unique in its message. The bronze plaque remained in its original location until June 1960, when it was dismantled and destroyed by order of the district council. In place of the bronze plaque, a map of the Kyffhäuser hiking trails was installed in the Romanesque arch of the monument. Source: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botschaftsgedenkstein

The Embassy Memorial Stone of the German Students' Association is a monument located in the Kyffhäuser Mountains near Bad Frankenhausen/Kyffhäuser in Thuringia. It is located at the entrance to the Kyffhäuser Monument (also known as the Barbarossa Monument or Kaiser Wilhelm National Monument). Source: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botschaftsgedenkstein

The Barbarossa Tower in the Kyffhäuser Mountains offers a magnificent view of the surrounding area and the Kyffhäuser Monument. Named after Emperor Frederick I, known as Barbarossa, the tower invites you to an exciting climb where you can experience nature and history. A must for every visitor to the region! 😄

The well on the Kyffhäuser is the deepest castle well in the world. The depth is about three times the height of the memorial tower. The well pipe has a diameter of just over 2 meters. The well is fed by seepage water, so it is not groundwater. It is believed that the well was driven into the rock between 1130 and 1170. At that time it served to supply water to the castle residents. A recent analysis has confirmed that the sample taken was of the highest drinking water quality.

The best preserved part of the Kyffhausen Imperial Castle is the lower castle, which was only uncovered in the 1930s and partially rebuilt. It has an almost closed ring wall that is preserved up to a height of 10 metres. In the lower castle, the remains of walls and foundations of residential and commercial buildings from various construction phases of the castle, as well as the stump of the keep, have been uncovered. In the rear part, next to the chapel that was renovated in the 15th century, a second tower, possibly a residential tower, has risen. The lower castle must have already existed in 1118, as there is clear evidence of the destruction that took place in that year. However, it is unlikely that it was founded much earlier than the 12th century.