Rühn Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery founded by Brunward, bishop of Schwerin in 1232. Already on May 29, 1292 the monastery was burned down completely. After reconstruction 30-40 nuns lived, prayed and worked there.
After the Reformation Duke Ulrich gave the monastery to his wife Elisabeth. She founded in Rühn the first girls' school in Mecklenburg. Numerous renovations and extensions were made then.
In the Thirty Years War the monastery was destroyed. During the age of the Duchess Sophie Agnes von Mecklenburg (1625-1694), it was rebuilt with a park with linden alley in the former monastery garden. Until 2008 the site changed hands several times and functioned for example as an orphan house. Since 2008 it has been owned by the Klosterverein Rühn e.V foundation.
The abbey church was completed in 1270.
References:Kakesbeck is one of the largest medieval fortifications in Münsterland and the oldest castle in Lüdinghausen. The imposingly grown complex originated in 1120 as a motte, a small hilltop tower castle. After numerous changes of ownership, the castle was extended onto two islands, but it was not until the 14th century that it underwent significant alterations and extensions under the von Oer family. The estate experienced its heyday in the middle of the 18th century, when it covered an area of almost one square kilometre and consisted of five further outer castles in addition to the core castle, which were secured by ramparts and moats.
The well-maintained condition of the castle today is thanks to the late Wilfried Grewing, the former lord of the castle. The foundation named after him has been particularly committed to preserving the property since 2020.