Hünnefeld Castle
Description
Schloss Hünnefeld is a historic moated castle located in Bad Essen, Lower Saxony, Germany. First mentioned in 1146, it was originally the seat of the Lords of Hünefeld, ministerials of the Bishopric of Osnabrück. Ownership changed several times through marriage and sale, and since 1447, the von dem Bussche family has held the estate. The current castle structure was built between 1610 and 1614 as a three-winged complex, with a fourth wing planned but never completed. The architecture blends early Baroque elements with remnants of older structures, such as a tower in the north wing.
Surrounded by a double moat, the estate includes a late medieval round tower, a dovecote built in 1710, and the former financial office now used as a café and bed & breakfast. The park, redesigned in 1840 as an English landscape garden, features an orangery and connects to the castle via a terrace and bridge.
In 2017, a 17-hectare forest area northwest of the castle was designated as a RuheForst (memorial forest). The castle remains partly residential, with the von dem Bussche-Hünnefeld family still living there. A museum in the north wing is open on weekends, and the grounds host annual cultural events like the Hünnefelder Hoffest-Spiele.