Cultural Events
CastleRüthen-Kallenhardt
Körtlinghausen Castle
Körtlinghausen Castle is located in the Sauerland region on the Glenne river between Rüthen and Warstein in the Soest district. The baroque moated castle was built in the Glenne valley northwest of Kallenhardt (a district of the town of Rüthen). Körtlinghausen was home to Germany's largest and most powerful oak tree. It was about 1100 years old, 22 m high and had a circumference of 12.4 m (just above ground level).
A stone castle complex with a moat existed on the site. In the 14th century, the property was owned by the families von Schorlemer and von Rüdenberg. In 1398, the Schorlemer share passed to the von Lürwald family. After the Rüdenbergs were temporarily sole owners, the von Lürwald family acquired the house and property in 1447. Just a few years later, they sold it to the von Hanxleden family. In 1614, Körtlinghausen came into the possession of the von Westrem family. From 1645 to 1819, it was owned by the von Weichs family.
The castle was built in 1714 by Chief Huntsman Baron Franz Otto von und zu Weichs according to plans by Justus Wehmer. In 1830, the Barons von Fürstenberg became owners of Körtlinghausen Castle, which remains the case to this day. After 1945, it was used as a refugee home. From 1956 to 1994, the castle housed a school of the Federal Association for Self-Protection. For the restoration and renovation of Körtlinghausen, which began in 1999, Dietger Freiherr von Fürstenberg was awarded the Prize for Monument Preservation in Westphalia-Lippe in 2004. The project was financed by the sale of the Stammheim Missal, an important 12th-century Hildesheim manuscript, to the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.
Today, Körtlinghausen Castle is rented out for festive events and conferences. The administration and agriculture are located in the northern outbuildings.
Manor House+
The castle complex includes the rectangular manor house with two side wings on the long side, as well as the castle courtyard with cavalier buildings. The manor house in the pond stands on one of two islands. The windows of the simple, plastered building are framed in sandstone. Four chimneys protrude from the hipped roof, which is equipped with dormers. Two short, pavilion-like projecting wings are attached to each of the two long sides. Gabled risalits are located on three sides of the building, with the courtyard-side one being heightened by a roof house. The two-armed open staircase on the garden side, with a delicate balcony, is dated 1721. The alliance coat of arms of the von Weichs and von Droste zu Erwitte (Haus Füchten) is affixed to the portal on the courtyard side.
Interior Decoration
The staircase with a two-part flight merges at half height. On the upper floor, facing the garden, there is a ballroom with ceiling paintings and rich stucco work. The coats of arms of the builder and his three wives are placed in each of the corners.
Castle Chapel+
The castle chapel is dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Access is available on both floors of the manor house. A painting of the chapel saint can be seen on the geometrically stuccoed ceiling. It was probably painted before 1727. The altar was built after 1739. The dominant furnishing of the chapel is the lord's box.
Other Structures+
The two outbuildings, designed by Nagel, are strongly inspired by Wehmer's constructions. The western one, with the alliance coat of arms of Weichs and Westrem, is dated 1731; the eastern one, with the alliance coat of arms of Weichs and Galen, is dated 1743. The coach house, attached to the south, was crowned with a small bell tower. A gate risalit protrudes in the middle of the three-winged economy building. The gatehouse from 1736 stands on the west wing and was extended in 1850. The terraced garden with a parabolic layout is accessed via a drawbridge.
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.
Source: Wikipedia · Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Image: http://www.zeche.org/
This description draws on the facts documented in the linked Wikipedia article; Wikipedia content is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wording and editing: Mobile History.
Location: 51.4616, 8.4102