Burgturm Davensberg
Surviving defensive tower of Davensberg Castle with a local history museum, torture cellar and fireplace room, open to visitors on a guided tour.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Davensberg is first mentioned in a document in 1256, when Hermann von Meinhövel took his name from the place. The castle itself has been documented as a “castrum” since 1263. Before 1500, Balthasar von Büren and his son Johann expanded it considerably. The tower, the only part that survives, dates from this period; its date of around 1530 is inferred from alliance coats of arms on the fireplace.
The tower has three levels: at the top the fireplace room with a star vault, below it a prison with a torture chamber, and at the very bottom the dungeon. Davensberg was the seat of the Gogericht (rural court) of Werne, which is why witch trials also took place here. From around 1750 the castle, administered from Nordkirchen, gradually fell into decay.
The sculptor Friedrich Press had his first studio in the tower from 1931 to 1935. Today the Heimatverein Davensberg (local heritage association) cares for the tower as a museum and landmark of the village, and it offers tours.
Highlights
- Fireplace room with star vault and Gothic fireplace
- Torture chamber with historic stocks
- Dungeon in the base of the tower
- First studio of the sculptor Friedrich Press
- Themed tours with role-play and “Anno 1619”
Permanent exhibition
- Heimatmuseum im Burgturm – Fireplace room as a museum space, with the torture chamber and its stocks below and the dungeon of the medieval tower.
- Operated by
- Heimatverein Davensberg e. V.
Admission & discounts
| Groups | €6 per personTour for groups of up to 15 people, minimum €48 per tour (prices from 2026). |
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Admission only in combination with a guided tour.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The ascents to the tower and to the fireplace room are not barrier-free.
Kids & families
The “Anno 1619” tour is not suitable for children and young people.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Weddings / ceremonies
The fireplace room serves as a wedding room.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
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| Good to know | Tours for groups of up to 15 people last about 45 to 60 minutes and are also available as themed tours (e.g. with the Kiepenkerl, a traveling peddler figure, or on witch persecution). On special dates in spring and autumn there is the roughly 90-minute tour “Anno 1619” (max. 14 participants, not for children and young people). An audio link (“talking monument”) is available online. |
