Castle · Büren · Updated on 1 November 2026.

Castle Wewelsburg in Büren

Wewelsburg is a castle in Büren, North Rhine-Westphalia. This place has a story in the app. 1 of the 27 well-known points of interest nearby is within 1 km. Within 370 m you'll find a bench and a bike pump.

Directions in Google Maps

The story

Wikipedia ↗

Story · Wewelsburg

You're standing at Wewelsburg, on a hill above the village of the same name, just outside Büren. Start with the shape. The castle is a triangle, with a round tower at each corner and massive walls in between. What you see was built between 1603 and 1609, as a second residence for the prince-bishops of Paderborn. During the Thirty Years' War, Swedish troops wrecked it in 1646. When it was rebuilt, the three towers got their baroque domes.

Read the whole story in the Outdoor Pitstop app: check in at this place and it is yours (with Pro; new users are Pro for the first 4 weeks).

Opening hours and admission

Wheelchair: Not accessible

Source: OpenStreetMap and Wikidata.

Photos

10 photos from Wikimedia Commons. In the app you add your own photo when you are there.

1 / 10

Photo: Wewelsburg2010.jpg: Tbachner derivative work: Alupus (talk) · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

Wewelsburg in Büren: castle in North Rhine-Westphalia

The Wewelsburg is a castle on a hill in North Rhine-Westphalia. It is well known for the dark period of the twentieth century. In 1934 Heinrich Himmler leased the castle, and the SS turned it into a school. Prisoners from concentration camps carried out the heavy construction work. You will find the Wewelsburg in Büren, at Burgwall 17 (33142). Just 96 metres away is the Erinnerungsstätte Wewelsburg, a museum about this period.

Wewelsburg's history

The prince-bishops of Paderborn had the Wewelsburg built between 1603 and 1609, as they wanted a second residence here. In 1646, troops destroyed the castle, after which it was rebuilt. In 1934, Himmler leased the castle for 100 years. The SS had the render removed so the building would look more like a genuine fortress. The heavy work was carried out by prisoners from the Sachsenhausen and Niederhagen concentration camps, the latter lying close by. Of the roughly 3,900 prisoners, 1,285 died of typhus and 56 were executed. Himmler dreamed of a gigantic complex, the centre of the world, for which the entire village would disappear and the valley would be flooded. It remained at drawings and models. In March 1945, he ordered the castle blown up, but his men had too little explosive, which is why the Wewelsburg still stands.

Benches at Wewelsburg Büren, toilet and drinking water

The nearest bench is 11 metres away, and you will find 42 benches within 500 metres, so it is easy to sit down for a while. There is no public toilet listed on our map near Castle Wewelsburg in Büren, as none is within 1 km. There is also no water tap within 1 km, so bring your own drinking water to the castle. For your bike, there is a bike pump 365 metres away, at Waldsiedlung. It is the only bike pump within 500 metres.

Facilities near Wewelsburg

The nearest pitstop of each kind within 1 km, as the crow flies. No water point, public toilet or honesty box within 1 km.

Walks within 2 km

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Cycle routes within 5 km

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Explore further

More points of interest

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Wewelsburg in Büren located?

The Wewelsburg stands on a hill above the village of Wewelsburg, close to Büren. The address is Burgwall 17, 33142 Büren.

When was the Wewelsburg in Büren built?

The Wewelsburg was built between 1603 and 1609. The prince-bishops of Paderborn wanted a second residence here.

What did Heinrich Himmler do with the Wewelsburg in Büren?

Himmler leased the Wewelsburg in 1934 for 100 years at 1 Reichsmark per year. The SS made it a school and a kind of sanctuary, and prisoners from the Sachsenhausen and Niederhagen concentration camps carried out the heavy construction work.

What can you see at the Wewelsburg in Büren?

At the Wewelsburg you can find a museum about the history of Paderborn in the south and east wings, and a memorial museum about the SS in the former guardhouse. You can also see the hall with pillars and the hewn-out crypt the SS had built.

Are there benches at the Wewelsburg in Büren?

Yes, the nearest bench is 11 metres from the Wewelsburg. There are 42 benches within 500 metres.

Is there a toilet at the Wewelsburg in Büren?

According to our map, there is no public toilet within 1 km of the Wewelsburg. So take a toilet stop before you set off.