Schloss Hovestadt

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In the Lippe River valley at the southern edge of Münsterland, Schloss Hovestadt combines medieval foundations with elegant Baroque elements. First documented in 1292, this strategically positioned castle was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt before taking its current form between 1563 and 1572 under Laurenz von Brachum's direction. The castle features distinctive Mannerist brick decorations including circles, diamonds, and lions' heads, complemented by rich interior stucco work. The castle's crowning glory is its meticulously restored 18th-century garden, reopened in 1997, which divides into distinct sections—Castle Island, Garden Island, Heckentheater (one of Westphalia's few hedge theaters), and Sternbuch—each separated by water or hedges yet united through cleverly designed visual axes. The complex also includes a notable castle chapel with illusionistic murals situated at the end of an orangery.