The Altena Castle is located in the city Altena in the Sauerland.
address
Museums Altena Castle, Fritz-Thomée-Str. 80, 58762 Altena, Tel .: (02352) 966 7034, Fax: (02352): 25316
getting there
By train
Altena is on the railway line Hagen–Wins. From the train station, cross the Lenne and follow the signs to the castle. The walk takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
By bus
The Altena Citizens' BusLine 4 runs on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from the Bungern car park via the German Wire Museum to Altena Castle and back. The journey costs 1 euro each way for adults and 0.50 euros for children
opening hours
Tuesday to Friday from 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
on Monday closed
except Easter Monday, Whit Monday and Christmas Day, if it falls on a Monday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
December 24, December 25, December 31 and 1.1. closed
Entrance fees
Adults 5.00 euros; Children and adolescents from 6 to 17 years, schoolchildren, students, the disabled, conscripts, community service workers 2.50 euros; children under 6 years free; families (max. 2 adults with children) 10 euros
Group rate for adults (applies to 15 people or more) 4.00 euros / person, reduced (up to a maximum of 2 accompanying persons free, group rate applies from 15 people and generally to school groups) 2.00 euros / person
The admission tickets are combined tickets, which also entitle you to visit the German Wire Museum, which is located 300 m below Altena Castle. The cards are therefore provided with two tear-offs. If you cannot manage both houses in one day, you can visit the other museum at a later point in time with the remaining demolition.
background
In 1122, Adolf II von Berg was already referred to as comes de altena. At this point the castle must have already stood. Due to the division of inheritance between his sons Eberhard and Engelbert, Altena Castle became the ancestral seat of the Eberhard family, which is now called Altena-Mark. The lords of the castle were the Counts of Altena-Mark after the Counts of Berg. In 1609 the castle came to Brandenburg-Prussia. The castle fell into disrepair in the 18th and 19th centuries, but was rebuilt from 1907 to 1915 through civic engagement.
The teacher Richard Schirrmann taught at the elementary school in Gelsenkirchen and, because of the poor living environment in this industrial city, often went on hikes with his class. But with this he met with severe criticism from the school management. It was said that he would neglect the normal lessons in favor of the hiking days. He was therefore transferred to Altena in the Sauerland. Here his idea was very well received. While hiking from Altena to Aachen in 1909, he and his class were surprised by a thunderstorm. They wanted to find shelter for one night in a barn, but the farmer was against it and sent them to the nearby primary school in Bröl (Hennef). Since the vacation was just now, the teacher was not there, but the teacher's wife let the hiking group spend the night at the school. On this rainy night with lightning and thunder, Richard Schirrmann had the idea that there should be a network of accommodations for hiking groups. The idea of the youth hostel was born.
In 1912 the world's first youth hostel was inaugurated at Altena Castle. The romantic surroundings and the fact that the castle was to be rebuilt came in very handy. There were 2 dormitories, one for boys and one for girls, which can still be visited today. If you like, you can also try it out.
exhibition
You can see the 2 dormitories and the common rooms of the old youth hostel, an exhibition about iron ore extraction and processing in the Sauerland and of course knight armor, hunting weapons and the dungeon. From the battlements you have a beautiful view of the city of Altena, which looks like the scenery of a model railway.
