The knight Goswin from Menden, a feudatory of the Archbishop of Cologne, commissioned the construction of this castle, which was strategically important at that time. From 1246 - 1248 he had it built at his own expense. In 1276, however, he had to cede the fort and the bailiwick of Menden to the Archbishop of Cologne. After the fort temporarily fell into the sphere of influence of the hostile Märker, but was soon redeemed, it was destroyed in 1301 by the army of the Count of the Mark.
The sparse fragments of the ruins were covered by the forest over time, so that for many centuries the former fortification was forgotten. Already during test excavations in 1939 debris came to light. It was not until 1950 that it was rediscovered by Robert Frese, a principal from Menden. Together with his students, he then uncovered further fragments in the 1950's.
The remains of the historical Rodenburg on the Rodenberg are an important historical testimony of the short time of knight Goswin in Menden.
The castle ruins can be reached on foot through the forest in about 20 minutes from the town center (Rodenberg/Kapellenberg).