House Alst
The colourful façade of Haus Alst in Horstmar shimmers through the branches of its idyllic trees and only gives deeper insights to those who approach on foot or by bike. The magnificent Specklagen architectural style of the moated castle is revealed to them: red brick alternates with light yellow Baumberg sandstone. The special design of the walls is a real rarity in Münsterland.
New splendour over the centuries
Haus Alst was first mentioned in a document as a fief of Werden Abbey in 1217. After the lords of Münster zu Alst, it came into the possession of the Westphalian noble family von Westerholt in 1569. By marriage, Bernhard Freiherr v. Westerholt-Hackfort from the Dutch branch of the family became the owner in 1620. From 1624 onwards, he fundamentally redesigned the two-storey manor house in the style of the Dutch Renaissance with red and yellow bacon layer technique.
After several changes of ownership in the 19th century, it became the property of the Counts v. Westerholt again in 1935, who have preserved and inhabited it to this day. From 1852 until his death in 1895, Haus Alst was the residence of Burkhardt Freiherr v. Schorlemer-Alst, the "Westphalian Peasant King". Coupled with a romantic garden, Haus Alst makes the dream of a fairytale wedding come true for civil wed dings.
Münsterland houses in Speck
The construction technique of the walls, reminiscent of strong hams, was a design feature of the Netherlands and Belgium in the 16th century. In the Münsterland region, only four houses with such masonry can be found; with Haus Alst and the Merveldter Hof, two of them in Horstmar.
Map | House Alst
Service at Haus Alst
- 100 Castles Route
- Outdoor
- private estate
House Alst
- Mondayclosed
- Tuesdayclosed
- Wednesdayclosed
- Thursdayclosed
- Fridayclosed
- Saturdayclosed
- Sundayclosed
Admission
- Free admission:0,00 €
4 Tips for the House Branch
- The romantic castle town of Horstmar has four impressive courtyards from the Middle Ages that are well worth seeing, with the Merveldter Hof another work of art in bacon layer technique.
- Around Haus Alst there are relaxing hiking and cycling trails, such as the 100 Castles Route, on which you can discover more stately homes and magnificent aristocratic residences.
- The 44 km cycling tour tip"Of moated castles and castle manors" combines beautiful castles and castle manors with the gentle landscapes of the Münsterland.
- The romantic wedding room and picturesque garden provide an exceptional setting for an unforgettable wedding.
Places of interest around Haus Alst
Blue category: Private castles in MünsterlandI am a blue castle! I am privately inhabited and not accessible. Please regard me respectfully at a distance - I wave to you from afar ...
Münsterland Tourism Centre© Münsterland e.V./Fabian Riediger
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