Barntrup Castle

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I'll build you a castle

Anna von Canstein did just that. She died before her castle in Barntrup was ready to move into. So she left it to one of her three sons, and subsequently to many more generations of the von Kerssenbrock family, up to the present day.

Barntrup is a small city in the Lippe district of North Rhine-Westphalia, near the border with Lower Saxony, roughly between Detmold and Hamelin. The castle, built between 1584 and 1592, is located on the edge of the old town and blends into the city wall that has only been preserved in this part of the town. The north side of the castle faces the countryside. It is therefore both a town castle and a country castle.

Before the castle was built, the “Lower Estate” in Barntrup had been owned by the von Kerssenbrock family for almost 100 years. In 1496, Gerlach received the village of Barntrup as a pledge from the Counts of Lippe. In 1564, they repaid the loan and the Kerssenbrocks’ brief rule over Barntrup came to an end. Twenty years later, construction of the castle began on behalf of Anna von Canstein. Her husband, Franz von Kerssenbrock, had already died in 1576. Her name was actually Anna von Kerssenbrock, but her maiden name, von Canstein, is always mentioned in the documents. The castle never had a ruling function and rather expressed the aspirations of the then up-and-coming Kerssenbrock family.

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Access Information

The castle courtyard is open to the public, here the castle can be viewed from the outside. Enter the courtyard at your own risk. Motorised vehicles are not permitted.
Would you like to take wedding photos on this property? This is allowed under the following conditions.
  • Please enquire with us before your photo shoot.
  • Access at your own risk.
    Among other hazards, branches can break off the trees (even when there is no wind), and there is a risk of slipping because the premises are not cleared in winter. The castle courtyard must not be used in stormy weather or when there is black ice.
  • No motorised vehicles.
  • Leave the property as you found it. No scattered decorations!
  • Free of charge for bridal couples who come from Barntrup. Proof required.
  • We request that non-residents pay €100 into the following account:
    IBAN DE23 4765 0130 1010 1403 64, Stiftung Schloss Barntrup (Barntrup Castle Foundation).

Events

  • von Kerssenbrock Administration
    Obere Strasse 74
    32683 Barntrup, Germany
    info@schlossbarntrup.de

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