Local government
CastleFürstenau
Fürstenau Castle
Fürstenau Castle in Fürstenau is a former state castle of the Prince-Bishopric of Osnabrück, founded in the 14th century and serving as the residence of the Prince-Bishop in the 16th/17th century. It is used as the administrative seat of the town and joint municipality of Fürstenau. The parish church of St. Catherine of the Catholic parish of Fürstenau, which belongs to the deanery of Osnabrück-Nord of the Diocese of Osnabrück, is located in the south wing.
Earlier Castle Complexes
Two earlier castle complexes are known: Fürstenberg Castle, about which nothing further is known, and a castle at Segelfort (also Segelforth, Segelfahrt) near the village of Settrup, which has belonged to Fürstenau since 1972, about 3 kilometers southwest of the later castle. The latter was built by Prince-Bishop Ludwig von Ravensberg around 1300 as a stronghold for the north of his territory. This led to a dispute with Count Otto IV of Tecklenburg-Ibbenbüren, which ended in 1308 with the Battle of Haler Feld (near Halen). As a result of the peace negotiations, the castle was razed.
The Collegiate Castle
Under Prince-Bishop Gottfried von Arnsberg, the collegiate castle was built around 1335. The village of Fürstenau developed from the outer bailey to the east, which was elevated to a market town in 1402. A seal from this period depicts the castle as a keep with an adjoining residential building.
Initially secured with a palisade, the castle was fortified with ramparts and moats after several armed conflicts under Bishop Konrad III von Diepholz (1455–1482). Konrad IV von Rietberg (1482–1508) and Erich von Braunschweig-Grubenhagen (1508–1532) had additional buildings erected, giving the complex increasingly the character of a castle. Johann IV von Hoya (1553–1574) had the fortifications further expanded and gardens laid out. He chose Fürstenau as his permanent residence and elevated the castle to the main fortress of the Prince-Bishopric of Osnabrück in 1556.
During the Thirty Years' War, Fürstenau was captured several times by Protestant troops from 1633 onwards, but was always recaptured by the Imperial forces. In June 1647, the castle was handed over to the Swedes after a week-long siege. After the war, Fürstenau lost its importance both as a fortress and as a seat of government. The Prince-Bishops now resided in Iburg or later in the newly built Osnabrück Castle. Fürstenau Castle subsequently fell into disrepair. Around 1750, the town walls were demolished, and the castle moat was drained.
After the incorporation of the Principality of Osnabrück into the Kingdom of Hanover, the south wing of the castle with the keep was converted into a parish church for the Catholic community founded in 1789 in 1817 and consecrated to Saint Catherine. The other wings housed the Fürstenau district court and official residences. Since 1977, the administration of the joint municipality has been located there.
Description+
The castle complex is surrounded by moats on an almost square ground plan and was originally only accessible via a bridge from the east. Remains of rondels are preserved in the four corners. In the northeast and southwest were round, multi-story bastions, which were connected to the main building by underground passages. Round earthworks existed in the northwest and southeast corners. The northeast bastion, built around 1527, has been restored and can be visited since 1993.
The castle building is located in the center of the complex and consists of four wings and the keep. The north, east, and south wings were built in the mid-16th century in the Renaissance style from quarry stone. On the wall of the south wing facing the inner courtyard is a coat of arms of Prince-Bishop Johann IV von Hoya with the year 1555. The windows were altered in the Baroque period. The west wing was added in 1974, built on the foundations of the old battlement.
In the east wing (gate wing), a round-arched portal forms the passage into the inner courtyard. Above the portal is a gable roof with the coat of arms of Prince-Bishop Heinrich von Sachsen-Lauenburg (1574–1585), and in the passage, a barrel vault.
The keep stands on its own foundation on the west side of the south wing and is also made of quarry stone. A coat of arms of Bishop Konrad III von Diepholz bears the year 1473. The tower spire dates from 1630.
Of the utility buildings that were located within the castle complex, two half-timbered houses east of the gate wing, which served as stables, are preserved. North of the north wing stands the former prison, built in 1720, which was used as a prison for the district court until 1971. It was restored in 2002.
The Castle Church
The parish church of St. Catherine is located in the south wing of the castle. The keep serves as the church tower, and the sacristy is housed in the former castle chapel on its ground floor. In 1924, a south aisle was added, thus expanding St. Catherine's Church into a two-aisled hall church. A baptistery is located in the aisle. The church was renovated in 1988.
Older furnishings include the Baroque high altar and the communion rail from around 1700, which come from the secularized Franciscan monastery in Rheine and were significantly altered in 1900 by master carpenter Heinrich Mensing. Also around 1700, the sandstone Pietà was created, like that of Malgarten Monastery probably by Thomas Simon Jöllemann. The pulpit was made around 1760–1770, and several saint figures and a relief depicting the Baptism of Christ also date from the 18th century. In the east wall of the sacristy is a fireplace dated 1574. The celebration altar and ambo were acquired in 1989 for the 200th anniversary of the parish.
Take Mobile History with you
You are reading this text for free. Premium adds what matters on the road: descriptions read aloud, sites found through your camera, whole regions taken offline.
- Every description, including the ~17,700 Premium sites
- Audio guide: have descriptions read to you on location
- AR finder: see sites through your camera, with distance and bearing
- Unlimited saved sites
14 days free, then from €2.99 a month. Cancel anytime.
Location: 52.5162, 7.6728