Hülshoff Castle

Hülshoff Castle near Havixbeck is one of the most popular destinations in Münsterland. When you visit, you are greeted by the extensive park. Well-tended flowerbeds alternate with spacious lawns. The castle soon attracts everyone's attention. Picturesquely surrounded by expanses of water, Hülshoff Castle is an imposing sight without being bulky.

One castle - many perspectives

It is worthwhile to walk around the castle on the footpaths that have been laid out. New perspectives reveal the beauty of this historic building. Finally, you reach the inner courtyard of the castle, which leads to the Droste Museum and the castle restaurant. The museum not only describes the life of Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, but also gives an insight into the aristocratic life of the time. Over the next few years, the castle will be carefully renovated and converted to meet new social demands.

The restaurant in the castle's vaulted cellar is open daily from April to November. In good weather, you can also relax and enjoy the culinary offerings in the inner courtyard.

A Castle in Transition - The Center for Literature

As the birthplace of Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, literature has always played a special role. With the Center for Literature, the castle will in future become a centre for research and further development of literature, focusing on dialogue with other arts. The exciting projects will become visible in numerous events and make Hülshoff Castle a cultural jewel in Münsterland.

Hülshoff Castle is a typical Westphalian moated castle, which is mentioned in documents as early as the 11th century as the Oberhof ,,Zum Hülshof". In 1417, the ancestors of the poet acquired the knight's seat. The manor house was built under Heinrich I von Droste zu Hülshoff between 1540 and 1545 and is today the oldest part of the castle.
To this day, it presents itself as a closed Renaissance complex whose high three-tiered gables are unadorned. The interior of the manor house was rebuilt at the end of the 18th century. In the 19th century, the last major alteration was the addition of the castle chapel in neo-Gothic style.

Hülshoff Castle is directly connected to the Münsterland cycle path network and can be easily reached via the north and south routes of the 100 Castles Route.

On the trail of a poetess

Hülshoff Castle and Haus Rüschhaus near Münster are connected by the so-called Lyrikweg. Over a distance of about 7 km, the barrier-free outdoor museum informs visitors at 21 stations (10 of them digital) about the famous poet Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, her two places of life and the surrounding landscape. Idyllic meadows and newly created rest areas along the path invite visitors to picnic.

The best experiences at Hülshoff Castle

Baroque meets modern Hülshoff Castle near Münster
© Münsterland e.V./ Philipp Fölting
Experience Münster and castles
Spend three days in Münster strolling and sightseeing. Enjoy the Münsterland park landscape with its palaces, castles and manor houses during a bike tour in the surrounding countryside.
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100 Castles Route Münster Castle on the South Course
© Münsterland e.V./Philipp Fölting
On the south course
Magnificent buildings characterise the Münsterland region. On the southern course of the 100 Castles Route, they are strung along 210 kilometres like a string of pearls.
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Picnic Hülshoff Castle Picnic Hülshoff Castle
© Münsterland e.V._R. Dombrowski
A picnic on the lawns of the parkland around Hülshoff Castle - beautiful spots in the green invite you to enjoy, linger and relax. The picturesque castle backdrop is in the background.
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The treasures of the region Nordkirchen Castle
© Münsterland e.V./ Philipp Fölting
The Good Life in Münsterland
Get to know the highlights of Münsterland by bike and spend two nights in Münster. Enjoy the Münsterland park landscape and the hustle and bustle of the "capital of Westphalia".
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Events at Hülshoff Castle