The Basilica St. Johann was erected by Stengel between 1754 and 1758. It has been painstakingly renovated and is now a perfect example of 18th century Baroque beauty: the pope even granted the church the title “Basilica Minor”. Not to be missed are the bronze portal and the entrance area, which were designed by the Saarbrücken artist Ernst Alt.
The church organ is particularly striking. It consists of three individual parts, the main organ and the two choir organs. They can by played individually or together. The St. Johann Basilica organ is hence composed of 60 sounding stops and a total of 4,312 pipes. This remarkable and multifaceted instrument is exceptional in both its construction and its tone spectrum and is renowned far beyond Saarbrücken and the Saarland.
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.