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Subject of the paper is a pile dwelling in the lake Werbellin near Altenhof, district of Barnim (Brandenburg). In the light of older and younger research (the latter carried out in 2018-2020), it can be considered as a late medieval princely site of the 'Kemlade' type. 'Kemladen' were small castles on post platforms, known from lakes and other waters of Northern Germany, Denmark and Northwestern Poland. The Altenhof complex consisted of a central, roughly rectangular post platform, further post structures (auxiliary buildings, jetties) and an oval post enclosure of approximately 35-40 m in diameter. Presumably the main building was a kind of residential tower in half-timbered construction. Archaeological observations at the shore of the lake, in particular a wooden cellar with rich find materials excavated in 1991, indicate an outer bailey. In the area of the pile dwelling late medieval pottery sherds, metal tools, animal bones, etc. were found, but also things typical for fortified sites with elitist background: arrowheads and crossbow bolts, a fragment of a horseman's spur, a 'pomander' or 'musk apple' of the time around 1300, made of a tin-lead alloy. The tree ring data indicate that the 'Kemlade' was built in the last third of the 13th century. It was probably abandoned before c. 1330. It probably served as a hunting seat of the Askanian Margraves of Brandenburg, namely Otto IV, 'žwith the arrow' (' 1308/1309), and Waldemar (' 1319), who - according to numerous documents - often stayed in the vast forests of the area (mentioned Schorfheide) for hunting purposes. They owned three castles or manors here: Grimnitz, Werbellin and Breden. Altenhof is often identified with Breden in regional historical research, but the recent dating suggests that Altenhof could be rather identified with Werbellin. The paper deals not only with Altenhof lake dwelling and its regional historical context, but reconsiders also general aspects of the 'Kemlade' castle type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]