Ahaus Castle

Ahaus Castle is the former hunting residence of the Prince-Bishops of Münster in Ahaus. As early as the beginning of the 11th century, a castle stood on the site of today's baroque building, which belonged to the noble lords of Ahaus and passed into the possession of the prince bishop of Münster in 1406.

Between 1688 and 1695, the Capuchin monk Ambrosius von Oelde built the hunting lodge by order of the prince-bishop Friedrich Christian von Plettenberg. From 1765 to 1767, the Baroque master builder Johann Conrad Schlaun added a central risalit with a large flight of steps to the garden front after the destruction in the Seven Years' War.

Tobacco factory, destruction and reconstruction

In the 19th century, the castle housed a tobacco factory, among other things. In 1945 it was hit by a bombing raid and burnt out completely. The baroque furnishings of the rooms, which had been preserved until then, were lost. The district of Ahaus bought the ruins and had them rebuilt. Today the castle is owned by the district of Borken and houses the Ahaus Technical Academy. The district court of Ahaus is located directly next door. As the most important monument in the town of Ahaus, the castle is also the centre of cultural life.