Slavic fortification ruins from 8th century in Drense, Germany.
Burgwall Drense is a Slavic fortification located in Drense, a part of Grünow in Brandenburg, Germany. Originating in the 8th century, it served as a significant settlement center. The site features a horseshoe-shaped layout and was expanded into a fortress by the 11th and 12th centuries.
Burgwall Drense is a historical site located in Drense, a part of the municipality of Grünow in the Uckermark district of Brandenburg, Germany. It is the remains of a Slavic lowland castle, known as a "Burgstall," dating from the 8th to the 13th century. The site covers an area of 2.3 hectares and features a horseshoe-shaped layout with dimensions of 160 meters west-east and 135 meters north-south. Archaeological investigations led by Volker Schmidt between 1980 and 1984 revealed that the site was originally an unfortified Slavic village in the 6th and 7th centuries. Around 700 AD, construction of the castle began, and it was expanded in the 9th century with a fortified outer bailey. The castle served as a central hub for a 14 km² Slavic settlement area and was a significant fortress for the Ukranen tribe. It had extensive trade connections with regions such as Kievan Rus, Poland, Moravia, and the Baltic area. In the mid-12th century, the castle was attacked and partially destroyed during the campaigns of Albrecht the Bear. Subsequently, it came under German control and was mentioned in documents until it was abandoned in the late 13th century.
