Calvörde Castle

Calvörde Castle is located in Calvörde in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. Its existence was first recorded in the late 13th century. In the Late Middle Ages and Early Modern Period it was frequently fought over due to its location between the territories of Brandenburg, Magdeburg and Brunswick.Strategic locationIn the areas of the Upper Aller and Ohre rivers, the former medieval principalities of Lüneburg, Altmark, Brunswick, Magdeburg and Halberstadt bordered one another and, in some cases, were even geographically enmeshed.Several noble families made a name for themselves in the area including the Bartenslebens, Alvenslebens and von Schulenburgs. They played an important role as result of their position on either side of these borders. They owned large feudal estates which helped to give them considerable independence for long periods of time. Calvörde formed a key strongpoint in this regard because it lay at the southern end of the formerly impassable marshy forests of the Drömling at a point that used to be the key crossing of the Ohre river that on the road from Brunswick to the southern Altmark.