Hülshoff Castle near Havixbeck is one of the most popular destinations in Münsterland. The first documented mention of the castle dates back to 1349. It developed from the former upper court, to which a manor house was added by the then owners, the Lords of Schonebeck. In 1417 the ancestors of the poet acquired the knight's seat. The manor house, which was built as a closed Renaissance complex in the years 1540-1545, has essentially been preserved to this day.
As it presents itself at present, it is a beautiful Renaissance building from the years 1540-1545 after a reconstruction by Heinrich I von Droste-Hülshoff. Today, the moated castle houses, among other things, the Droste Museum, which provides an insight into the life of the poetess and the nobility of the time. The surrounding park offers an attractive excursion destination in summer.
References:The Gravensteen is a castle in Ghent originating from the Middle Ages. The name means 'castle of the counts' in Dutch. Arnulf I (918–965), Count of Flanders, was the first to fortify this place, building a medieval bastion on this high sand dune, naturally protected by the river Leie and its marshy banks. This bastion consisted of a central wooden building and several surrounding buildings, also in wood.
In the early 11th century, the wooden building was replaced by a stone residence, consisting of three large halls that made up three storeys, connected by a stone stairwell. The monumental stone staircase, the light openings, the fireplaces built into the walls and the latrines were signs of considerable luxury and comfort in those days. There was probably also a tower.