Gamehl Castle

Gamehl Castle Manor House is a manor house in the eponymous district of the municipality of Benz in the Nordwestmecklenburg district.

The Gamehl estate was owned by the von Stralendorff family since 1387. At the beginning of the 19th century, the old manor house was demolished. Only an inscription plate and a coat of arms panel from the 18th century have been preserved and can be seen on the rear facade of the current manor house. Franz von Stralendorff (1805−1883) had the current representative manor house built in 1860.

This Neo-Gothic building was designed by Heinrich Thormann, an architect from Wismar. Franz von Stralendorff was a ducal Mecklenburg chamberlain, vice-land marshal, and district administrator at Gamehl. From two marriages, he left over 20 children, of whom only a few reached adulthood. The castle he built was the center of a stately estate with numerous preserved outbuildings. Until 1945, Gamehl Castle remained the family's seat. The last lord of the castle was Joachim von Stralendorff; he was forcibly dispossessed and expelled by the communists. Afterwards, it was used as accommodation for refugees, as a cooperative store, and as a kindergarten. In 2000, the castle was reacquired by Dagmar von Stralendorff. The building was restored in a multi-year, elaborate effort and opened as a hotel in 2008.

The building is characterized by a striking octagonal tower structure at the northwest corner. The building was adorned with brick ornaments and brick-clad arched windows.

A smaller landscape garden is located at the house.