Kakesbeck Castle

House Kakesbeck

Kakesbeck Castle

Die Burg Kakesbeck ist eine der größten mittelalterlichen Wehranlagen im Münsterland.

Kakesbeck Castle is one of the largest medieval fortifications in the Münsterland region and the oldest of the three surviving moated castles in Lüdinghausen. Today, the castle still has four mighty outer castles and a water ring covering approx. 30,000 square metres. The buildings of Haus Kakesbeck date from the 13th to 17th centuries. Today, Kakesbeck Castle is home to the Dr Wilfried and Hildegard Grewing Foundation, which takes care of the restoration and conversion of the buildings.

A tour of the historic buildings of Haus Kakesbeck is possible by appointment. During the tour, the castle's historic buildings can be visited, such as a brewery from 1542 or a storehouse from the same year. The legend of the three headless calves will also be recounted.

Guided tours on request! Contact via Lüdinghausen Marketing.

Kakesbeck Castle is the oldest of the three surviving moated castles in the town of Lüdinghausen. It lies somewhat outside the town: 5 kilometres north of the town centre rests the mighty castle complex, which is mentioned in documents as early as the 9th century.

Around 1120 there is evidence of a motte, an earthen mound castle, whose mound and rampart are still recognisable today. In 1316, Count Otto von Tecklenburg is documented as the owner of the castle, who becomes a member of the Dale family by marriage. Only a few years later, he sold the castle to the Drosten of Vischering Castle, whereupon the estate was expanded by the new owners into a "two-island castle" and the family line of the Droste zu Kakesbeck moved into the castle. The foundation stone for today's castle is laid.

At the end of the 14th century, the knightly dynasty of Oer came into possession of the site. The most colourful member of the family was certainly the knight Lambert von Oer, around whom legends and sagas entwine. Under the von Oer family, the castle was rebuilt and extended several times, especially in the outer baileys. From 1601 onwards, the manor house was built, for which part of the old foundations were used. In 1738 the Drosten zu Vischering acquired the castle, which at that time also included 80 farmsteads - a sign of the importance and size of the castle.

Due to a fire in the 19th century, parts of the manor house had to be rebuilt and the castle chapel was demolished.

Since the middle of the 20th century, the castle has been privately owned and has undergone further alterations. In the 1980s, for example, a four-storey half-timbered house from the 15th century was added to the ensemble - transferred from Lippstadt to Lüdinghausen. The reconstruction of the demolished castle chapel was begun in 1988 and finally decorated with unusual portraits of "the saints of Kakesbeck".

Even today, the castle's most impressive feature is its imposing size. It has a diameter of one kilometre, and the outer castles are surrounded by a ring of water about 30,000 square metres in size.