Winzenburg can be explored through several specific themes: preserved traces of fortifications, a landscape of springs and cycling. At the castle complex, ditches and ramparts reveal its impressive scale; the Apenteich Spring combines a spring with archaeological interpretation. The “Fishing & Agriculture” cycling tour passes through Winzenburg and adds an outdoor activity to the mix.

Castle Complex and Hohe Schanze

Ditches and ramparts have been preserved at the Winzenburg castle complex. Their impressive dimensions illustrate the scale of the site. The Hohe Schanze is another trace of the past. Whether its use continued or was resumed remains unclear.

The hilltop was occupied by a large-scale fortification. It comprised three ramparts, several ditches and stone ramparts along the edges of the steep slopes. The gate system leading to the outer bailey is also still clearly visible today. The surviving features make the structural differences within the fortification tangible: alongside the ramparts and ditches, the visible gate system provides a specific indication of access to the outer bailey.

Apenteich Spring and Other Springs

Archaeological finds clearly prove that the Apenteich Spring near Winzenburg is a sacred spring. The “Apenteich” hiking car park on the edge of the forest in Winzenburg is the starting point for visiting the spring and the Apenteich ponds: a hiking trail about 150 metres long leads to the water. As access information may change seasonally, check it before your visit.

Several springs rise in a hollow on the steep slope below Tiebenburg. On the eastern side, a stone surround channels the water as it emerges; elsewhere, the water bubbles, wells up and seeps out. Thus, within this spring area, a channelled outlet sits alongside various forms of water emerging from the ground. This adds another specific illustration of how water becomes visible in the landscape to the picture of the Apenteich Spring.

Cycling Through Winzenburg

The “Fishing & Agriculture” cycling tour is 27 kilometres long, takes two to three hours and passes through Winzenburg. Its length and stated duration help you gauge how much time to allow. Check the route details before setting off.

A Further Look at Freden (Leine)

The wider destination of Freden (Leine) has its own historical and cultural focus. Freden was first mentioned in a document as a church site in 1068. At St. George’s Church, the oldest parts of the massive church tower, built of rubble stone masonry, date from the church’s Romanesque construction phase. The church also houses a Baroque baptismal angel from the second half of the 18th century, a feature particularly characteristic of the Hildesheimer Land-Alfeld church district.

The Fredener Zehntscheune is a venue for cultural activities, with seating for around 350 people. Its appearance is defined by rubble stone masonry and timber-beam structures. The cycling distance there is also on a different scale: the approximately 410-kilometre Leine-Heide Cycle Route passes through Freden (Leine), the Leinebergland, Hannover Land and the Lüneburg Heath before reaching Hamburg. Its source is near Leinefelde in Thuringia. Compared with the 27-kilometre tour through Winzenburg, this route represents a considerably longer cycling distance.

Discover more destinations: Bad Salzdetfurth, Hildesheim, Hoyershausen, Elze, Rheden, Diekholzen, Harsum, Freden

Go to the main travel overview: Hildesheim.