Herbede Manor

Haus Herbede is a knight's manor in the Ruhr valley and is located in the Witten-Herbede district of Witten, not far from Lake Kemnade.

The main house, formerly surrounded by moats, has a walled outer bailey and is now used as a public meeting place and gallery. A restaurant is located in the medieval vaulted cellar.

Its origins date back to the 11th century. In 1225/27, it was owned by Arnold von Didinghofen, who received the lordship of Herbede as a fief from Kaufungen Abbey. From 1311, the house was inhabited by the von Elverfeldt family, who administered it as burgmannen.

During the 14th century, the complex was fortified by replacing the wooden structures with a stone house and an adjoining tower.

Around 1500, Haus Herbede was severely damaged by a large fire. During investigations in the 1980s, various inventory, weapons, and armor parts were found in the cellar. These had presumably fallen through the ceilings during the fire without being recovered later.

In 1540, a new building with a cellar was constructed, which was connected to existing stone houses by extensions around 1563, transforming Haus Herbede into a four-wing complex with a central inner courtyard.

The listed complex was extensively restored in the 1980s and is therefore in good condition. The outdoor areas and the inner courtyard are freely accessible.