The city Gudensberg is located about 20 km southwest of Kassel in the northern part of the state Hesse (Hessen). The area is characterized by its basalt mounts, argicultural land and mixed forests.
Historical facts:
The oldest known record, in which Gudensberg is mentioned, is from the year
1121 and reports about Giso IVth, "Count of Udenesberc". The name Udenesberc
comes from the name Wotansberg (the holy mountain of Wotan) and indicates that
the highest germanic god Wotan (Odin, Thor) was worshipped on the central
mountain in the
distant past.
During the middle ages a castle was built on the top of the
mountain in which the count of the region of Hesse resided. After the
decision
to make Kassel the place of residency of the count in 1247, Gudensberg
still remained residence of the highest court of the region of Hesse.
The history of the city tells of suffering and destruction but also of
prosperity and happiness. In 1387 it was destroyed by troops from Mainz, in 1587
it burned down, in 1640 it was devastated by the Croatians, yet, the city was
built up again every time and led to new prosperity.
