Sparrenberg Castle in North Rhine-Westphalia by EuroTourData
Sparrenberg Castle is the spur castle, built around 1250 to protect the city Bielefeld and the Bielefeld pass through the Teutoburg Forest, as well as the fortified residence for the counts of Ravensberg.
Image copyright info
© Creative Commons: Bielefeld Sparrenburg 2012-03-16, author G8w. License: CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped from original.
Sparrenberg Castle history
To protect against artillery fire, between 1530 and 1556 the castle was rebuilt. Four rondels were built and one solid and regular bastion with orillions was built on the northwest corner. After modernization, the castle was a powerful fortress.
In 1614, the castle passed into the possession of Brandenburg-Prussia, which ceded the castle to its ally the Dutch Republic, and in 1615 the Dutch garrison entered the castle. In 1623, the Dutch garrison was forced to retreat from the castle under the onslaught of the superior forces of the Spanish army. In 1637 the castle surrendered to Swedish troops after one year of siege.
At the end of the 17th century, the castle lost its military significance and was partially abandoned. In 1879 the city of Bielefeld bought the castle from the Prussian state.
Source
The article Sparrenburg of German Wikipedia.