House Assen

The valley of the Lippe has been an important trade route for ages. No wonder that impressive historical buildings are strung here like a string of pearls. Assen Castle, with its thousand-year history, is one of the oldest buildings. Today, it is all the more worthwhile to take a look behind the historic walls. The castle tours are a great journey through history.

Seat of a Catholic order

Founded in 1023 by Emperor Heinrich II, Haus Assen repeatedly changed owners over the next 300 years. With the purchase of the estate in 1396 by Röttger von Ketteler, the house began to take shape: Thus, in 1564, the present Renaissance castle was built. About a hundred years later, it became the property of the von Galen family, who lived there until 2002. In 1997, Bernhard Graf von Galen donated the property to the religious community "Servi Jesu et Mariae", which ran a boys' boarding school there for almost 20 years.

Today, Haus Assen is used as a spiritual centre and meeting place for youth and family. Its extensive offer includes retreats, faith courses, family weekends as well as youth offers such as scout camps and knights' days.