Issum Castle

Haus Issum is a moated castle in the middle of the North Rhine-Westphalian village of Issum. The complex is located on the Issumer Fleuth and was built in the second half of the 16th century as a successor to a destroyed castle. Used as a town hall until 1989, it now houses parts of the municipal administration and a local history museum, among other things.

Center of Lordship

Haus Issum, together with the lordship of the same name, is first mentioned in a document in 1338, when the Gelders Count and later Duke Rainald II acquired it from the Vogt Gerardus de Belle. Subsequently, the then castle belonged to the Vogtei Menzelen, a fief of Geldern, and was owned by the noble family von Alpen, before it was sold in 1388 to the Cologne Archbishop Friedrich III von Saarwerden.

At the beginning of the 15th century, the complex came into the possession of the Counts of Moers, who transferred it to Emont von Eyll on October 23, 1403. Later, Friedrich IV von Moers gave Haus Issum for 400 Rhenish gold guilders to the Gelders hereditary marshal Johann von Boedberg, who was followed in the 16th century by the von Pallant family as owners.

In 1551, Otto Schenk von Nideggen besieged the complex, was able to capture it, and subsequently had it burned down. However, Haus Issum was rebuilt as a castle-like complex in the second half of the 16th century. About 100 years later, the town and castle were plundered by French troops in 1673. In the second half of the 19th century, the complex was finally owned by the Beissel von Gymnich family, who resided at Schloss Frens. They sold the property in 1879 to the well-known Düsseldorf ophthalmologist and Privy Medical Councillor Albert Mooren.

In 1912, the municipality of Issum acquired the house including 200 acres of land. At that time, the gatehouse of the complex was used as the residence of the caretaker and park warden. In the 1980s, no tenant could be found for these rooms, so in 1984 the idea was born to set up a local history museum there. Therefore, a redesign and renovation of the building took place until 1990.

Current Use

The local history museum His-Törchen, opened in 1993, houses a collection on the history of the lordship and the town of Issum, which is managed by a local working group of interested citizens. One room of the 145 m² museum area is used for changing exhibitions. In addition, artworks by local artists are displayed, such as ceramics by Agnes Wetzling-Lenders and sculptures and tools by the sculptor and painter Clemens Pasch.

Until 1980, the manor house was the seat of the municipal administration. Today it houses the council chamber of the municipality, the wedding room, and some office spaces.