-English-

-English-

Nordkirchen Castle is located in the town of the same name on the southern edge of the Münsterland region.

Nordkirchen Castle was not the first castle at this place. The first castle in Nordkirchen was built on this ground around 1400, at that time by the Lüdinghausen knight family.

In this context, the old church near the castle was demolished under great turmoil, in which even the Pope was involved, and rebuilt along with the village at the present location.

Later a chapel, from 1609 a cross reminded of the old church. The cross was renewed in 1860 by the Esterhazy, the then castle owners. In 1975 it received a new body, the work of the artist Tisa von der Schulenburg.

Originally, Nordkirchen Castle after the purchase was only to be expanded  by the owner of Nordkirchen Castle. When planning began in 1697, the aim was to create a residential complex that was as representative as possible for the court of the then Prince-Bishop of Münster. But then he decided on a complete demolition and a completely new building.

Construction began in 1703 and took over 30 years. Two architects in particular shaped the style of the complex: Gottfried Laurenz Pictorius started the design and construction management, and after his death Johann Conrad Schlaun completed the work.

However, the client and actual "father of the castle", Prince-Bishop of Münster, Friedrich Christian von Plettenberg-Lenhausen, did not experience the completion of his idea. He died in 1706 and his nephew "Ferdinand von Plettenberg" became the new house owner in Nordkirchen. In 1712, at the age of 22, he was alone in front of the large building project.

The same year Ferdinand married Bernhardine Felicitas v. Westerholt zu Lembeck and later decisively influenced European politics as the imperial count. He not only had the castle furnished much more splendidly than originally thought by his uncle, but also became the sponsor and initiator of other buildings in the village with his wife.

Nordkirchen Castle is still referred to as "Westphalian Versailles". The symmetrical structure of the building with a courtyard on the south side and a garden on the north side shows that there are parallels that are deliberate. But the brick construction typical of the Münsterland gives the castle its own character.

Another big difference from the French model is the double moat that surrounds the castle. The two trenches are separated by an accessible wall.

If you enter the castle island from the south through the lion gate, the visitor can see the entire horseshoe-shaped complex. If the former farmyard with the stables is crossed, you can reach the courtyard through the women gate (Cour d'Honneur).

The actual main building (Corps de Logis) now rises to the north and can be visited (guided tour). It consists of a transept and pavilions attached on both sides.

The area in the middle (Risalit) with its four pilasters in the gable field bears the coat of arms of the Plettenbergs, held by two lions. Below, on the attic floor, four female statues symbolize the four seasons.

In addition to the centrally located state rooms, various salons and cabinets in the eastern wing, the building also houses splendidly furnished guest rooms for high-ranking visitors in the rear western area (imperial room).

On both sides of the court of honor there are clearly lower, angular buildings with brick pilasters and double-curved gable extensions: west (left) the servant wing, east the chapel wing. It contains the chapel “Assumption of Virgin Mary”, magnificently furnished between 1705 and 1714. It is often used for weddings nowadays.

The elaborate portal of the chapel and the roof rider with his bell represent the only deviation in the symmetry of the palace complex. Above the portal you can see the figures of the evangelist John and St. Antonius of Padua, as well as the inscription of the laying of the foundation stone.

The building of the servants also has an interesting special feature with the sundial. It is considered unique in Central Europe because the digits do not indicate the direct time, but (with the exception of the two outer ones) the number of half an hour after sunrise.

In 1913, the originally L-shaped farm buildings adjoining to the south were replaced by bright, representative vestibules. Horse stables were originally planned  in the west and a brewing and baking house in the east.

If you leave the inner courtyard of the castle via one of the three large bridges, you reach the baroque north garden of the "Venus Island" via the wall that separates the inner and outer moat: a symmetrical garden. French garden architects were once used to plan it.

Due to the impressive restoration of this site according to authentic templates and original plans, the Schlosspark Nordkirchen is of particular importance today. Overall size including the castle terrace and promenoires: 240 x 130 meters = 31,200 square meters. The reconstruction was carried out from 1989 to 1991.

The entire castle park covers 72 hectares and has always been rich in sculptures. However, a large number of them have weathered and broken over time. If the visitor nevertheless notices the many brightly shining stone vases, animals and allegorical figures, these are mostly garden decorations that were created between 1903 and 1914 when the baroque gardens, primarily the Venus Island, were restored.

There is hardly an original figure in its old place today, with the exception of the large sculptures in the two chestnut avenues in the Westgarten: the oldest news about a delivery of these sculptures dates back to 1721.

In the east garden is the "Chinese fountain". The figures of the fountain represent agriculture, fishing, culture, caste, religion, music and warriors. They used to line the entire east garden and have been in their current position since 1972. A monument to the von Arenberg family was originally supposed to be here.

The Oranienburg is also in the area of ​​the Westgarten. This had already been erected in 1715 as a one-story orangery building by Peter Pictorius. From 1725 he expanded the orangery into a two-story garden casino and summer palace with ballroom. The administration of the University of Applied Sciences for Finance is housed in the Oranienburg today. Concerts and events take place in the large ballroom.

Separated from the Oranienburg by the Maze District, the pheasantry erected by J. C. Schlaun from 1727 to 1734 lay to the west, framed by a high wall rectangle measuring approx. 90 by 40 meters. It served as wind protection and protection against predators. After the pheasantry was demolished in 1935, there are with the two pillars still remains.

In the northwestern district of the palace park, the orangery was designed from 1727 - 1734, like the pheasantry, according to the plans of J. C. Schlaun. The flat gable on the south side adorns the coat of arms of Ferdinand v. Plettenberg under the count crown and the chain of the golden fleece. The gardeners apartments were in the two wings.

The area in front of the building was used as a vegetable garden and was divided into four smaller squares by a crossroads. Today there are mostly newly planted trees in this garden region. The orangery is privately owned and is used as a living and exhibition space.

Schloss Nordkirchen has been spared destruction by fire or war in its more than 300-year history. However, the natural deterioration of the strukture was very hard, especially in the 19th century. However, there were always buyers who invested money in the conservation. Sometimes it was a duke, later the state of North Rhine-Westphalia took over the imposing moated castle.

Schloss Nordkirchen has served as a university of applied sciences for finance in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia since the 1950s. Graduate financial economists are trained here, who are then mainly used in the country's tax offices.

- English -

Paderborn: Neuhaus Castle

The Neuhaus Castle at the confluence of the rivers Lippe, Alme and Pader, on a kind of island, forms the center of the district of  named after him, about 4 kilometers north of downtown Paderborn.

The castle was built in various phases between 1530 and 1730 and was constantly changed. The Paderborn people originally owe their splendor to their constant argument with the local bishops.

In 1370, Bishop Heinrich von Spiegel was tired of residing in the midst of defiant citizens. He moved his headquarters to Neuhaus village a few kilometers away and built the Haus Spiegel (today the oldest part of the castle).

The Prince-Bishopric of Paderborn was ruled for 432 years from Neuhaus, and over the centuries the residence has grown building by building. In 1590, Bishop Dietrich von Fürstenberg let the four-wing complex in the Weser Renaissance style expanded.

You had to show a clear line against the Protestants. Therefore, the size of the castle was almost doubled and supplemented with four fortified-looking round towers. The facility survived the Thirty Years' War without major damage.

The builders were guided by the Italians' antique or Vitruvian understanding of art. The architecture Vredemann de Vries had a great influence on the design of columns, pedestals, gables and portals.

In the 18th century, the rooms and the park were redesigned by the architect Franz Christoph Nagel. In collaboration with renowned Westphalian artists, the castle was adapted to the taste of the time and converted into a maison de plaisance, a palace, where the prince-bishop could retire. In 1736 the Bishop Clemens August of Wittelsbach had the baroque garden completed.

Neuhaus Castle is now a four-wing complex with round corner towers and a surrounding moat. The main entrance is on the south side. The south wing is formed by the House of Braunschweig, which was built in 1526. The Kerssenbrock house, which was built around 1560, adjoins the building on the east side.

Opposite him stands on the west side near the south-west corner of the Cologne house and right next to it the house from around 1370. The latter is the oldest surviving building of Neuhaus Castle.

The entire garden side in the north was built together with the round corner towers around 1590. It is called Haus Fürstenberg. The construction created access to the garden, which is still dominated by a former drawbridge.

Grenadiers from the Paderborn Infantry Regiment were stationed in order to prevent the disrespectful Paderborners from entering the castle grounds without being asked. The Prussians did not take the episcopal military very seriously.

At the beginning of the 19th century, barracks were established in the castle after the secularization of the bishopric. In 1802, they annexed the prince-bishopric to compensate for the loss of territory to the French on the left bank of the Rhine. This put an end to the bishop as sovereign and the castle as residence.

Napoleon briefly interrupted Prussian rule again, but from 1813 Berlin was again in charge. The Prussia used the castle as barracks, mainly for equestrian regiments. The tradition continued seamlessly after the First World War.

The British Army of the Rhine moved in after the Second World War for the next decades. Later on the Neuhaus village, which was still independent at the time, took over the entire complex from the British army.

It was only on July 19, 1964 that the British High Command returned the system at the symbolic price of one German mark to the community, which has since been renamed "Schloss Neuhaus". She set up a junior high school here three years later (1967). It started with 32 pupils, today about 750 (!) Children and young people are learning here.

Other municipalities would have done everything possible to accommodate in such a showpiece a private high school for the offsprings of the rich and powerful as at Castle Salem or at least a noble private clinic for beauty-conscious celebrities.

Unfortunately, the buildings can only be visited during events. The city of Paderborn only uses the princely dining room still for receptions, the rest is school. The historical museum on the city and castle history is not housed in the castle, but in the neighboring stables.

Fortunately, the castle grounds are open to the public. The entrances are mostly provided with richly decorated portals. The stair towers partly come from different times and vary greatly in appearance.

Numerous details can be seen on the tour of the grounds. On the northwest side, not far from the tower, there is a small stone figure on the roof gable, which reminds of the fate of a roofer.

The year of completion and the coat of arms of the Lords of Fürstenberg can be seen on the southeast tower. The massive and impressive towers are now covered with hoods with flags. The roof bays vary from wing to wing and can be partially assigned to the eras.

The splendid side of the castle is on the back. Behind the castle, in the north, there is a view of the extensive, former baroque garden. He has many beautiful views of the castle. Together with the circular route around the facility, it invites you to stroll.

After the incorporation in 1975, the community carefully continued the maintenance of the castle and park together with the city of Paderborn. For Paderborn, this had the advantage that the city was able to host the NRW Garden Show in 1994 in the Neuhaus Castle park.

Neuhaus Castle becomes the center of the horticultural show in North Rhine-Westphalia. The castle park and the floodplain park are being built or are being restored. With the Garden show 1995 now annual events begin in the context of the castle summer.

Unfortunately, we also have to find out that only the most necessary maintenance is carried out on the area. Millions were invested at that time back then. Many things are slowly decaying or are no longer in operation. That's really a pity!

Parking and sightseeing of the castle park and the former garden show grounds are free of charge!

- English -

The Stukenbrock Safari Park is a combined amusement park with rides and an animal park in Schloss Holte-Stukenbrock. Located about 20 kilometers south of Bielefeld.

The park, which opened in 1969, offers a safari area through which visitors can drive their own car and an amusement park area with some rides, indoor and outdoor play areas and other attractions. In that  area you will also find some animal enclosures.

And if you want to fell asleep with the hissing of the cheetahs and want to be woken up by the roar of lions, now you are able to stay here.  New Safari huts and safari tents invite you to glamping in the park. A little bit of the African lodge feeling in the middle of Germany.

The amusement park area is certainly a great thing for families with children, but completely uninteresting for us. Therefore, we found the admission price of EUR 32.50 (adults) and EUR 26.50 (children), previously overpriced.

Just to look at the animals it´s a hefty price, even in the most expensive zoo you can get away much cheaper. In connection with the amusement park activities price / services may look different.

However, at the moment the question of price does not arise at all due to the Corona crisis, because a lot is closed. In order to cover at least a part of the running costs, an interim solution could be agreed with the authorities:

Since April 17th, safaris in the (exclusively) own car are allowed through the area. There is a flat rate of 20 euros per vehicle, regardless of the number of people.

Tickets can only be purchased online for a specific day and this ticket is only valid for the time window on the ticket.

The tickets must be printed out yourself and handed in contactlessly at the entrance at the ticket booth. No further activities from the Safari Park are available until further notice. Convertibles, cars with folding roofs and buses are excluded from the self drive safari.

You can visit the toilet before (and of course after) the safari, they are regularly cleaned and disinfected. Park employees are also available here. Otherwise getting out in the parking lot or even staying in the park is strictly prohibited. The safari gate is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

What a big surprise when we approached the park entrance: hundreds of cars were already in front of  the entrance, all of whom wanted to go on a safari at the special rate.

So we pushed ourself bumper to bumper into the first lockgate to get into the predator section. Only when the lockgate was filled to the last parking space was it closed at the back and opened to the front.

The whole caravan crawled out of the lockgate at a snail's pace, only to be stuck in a traffic jam. We crept on centimeter by centimeter. There were always loudspeaker announcements, one should drive in two lanes through the enclosure.

That is meant nicely, but if the lions are on the right, of course everyone wants to drive on the right. In that case driving on the left lane doesn't make so much sense, because nobody has come to look at the trees.

First you drive through the enclosure with the "normal" coloured lions, then the area with the white lions follows and finally the white tigers.

Here we also think we have identified a white liger - a lion / tiger hybrid. Reasonable photos are hardly possible there, because you have the other cars in the picture all the time and you always have to be in the move.

Finally, you get again into a lockgate, which releases the visitors into the “savanna grazing area” with antelopes, giraffes, emus, wildebeests, llamas, zebras and watussis. Integrated, and not really nice, separate enclosures for the elephants and camels. The enclosures are not really appealing!

What follows is as bizarre as it is unique: To get to the exit, you now have to drive all over through amusement park . Past the white water rink, the Western Show etc. All attractions are closed off with a flutter tape because of Corona and there is a strange ghostly atmosphere.

In addition, there are some other animal enclosures between the (closed) rides. Including white tigers and lions, 1 very old white rhino, monkeys, cheetahs, meerkats and a petting zoo with goats and sheep. The facility for the tigers is sad. Animal welfare is certainly something different.

The safari part is acceptable, admittedly it didn't really thrilled us as "old African hands”. The many visitors there showed us however that the concept was well received and is used lively. For families with children, this is certainly a nice change in the current difficult times.

In my opinion, it is very questionable whether rhinos really have to be kept in a loveless area between the amusement attractions or whether you still have to expose tigers to a tiny island. Some of the facilities looks slightly been out of date too.

All in all, we could say: we were there! However, we won't be going there again in the near future.

- English -

Water-Lock Park Waltrop Three waterways meet directly south of the city of Datteln: the Rhine-Herne Canal from Duisburg, the Datteln-Hamm Canal from Hamm and the Dortmund-Ems Canal from Meppen and Dortmund. A few kilometers north, the Wesel-Datteln Canal branches off towards Wesel.

The approximately 15-kilometer-long section of canal to the port of Dortmund starts here, almost 15 meters higher than the other three canals. Together with this section, the Henrichenburg boat lift in Waltrop-Oberwiese, necessary to bridge the height difference, was opened in 1899.

As early as 1914, the first lock was built in close proximity to the boat lift, together with the completion of the Rhine-Herne Canal. It was decommissioned in 1969, renovated and is now part of a park-like landscape.

In addition to the old lock, the third system for lifting or lowering the ships was built in 1962: the new lift. In 2005 the new boat lift was also closed due to technical defects.

The only lifting system in operation is the new lock, built between the old shaft lock and the new boat lift in 1989, the fourth canal structure in Oberwiese.

All of the lifts and locks, all four technically so-called "descent structures", form the so-called Waltrop Water-Lock Park. The LWL Industrial Museum takes up a large part of it with the old boat lift and an exhibition on the topic of inland navigation. Some areas are inaccessible company premises.

However, the channel islands around the old lock became a park-like complex: the Waltrop Water-Lock Park. It extends on the so-called Channel Islands to the New Lock. The "islands" are the land masses between the four channel arms of the upper and lower water to the former and the current lifting device.

The disused and unused channel arms hold numerous memories of the active time that can be discovered during a walk. Here and there, benches invite you to pause and take a dreamy look at the still water, on which numerous waterfowls can be spotted.

The proud core of the freely accessible facility is the old shaft lock from 1914 with its western water basin. They served to save water during the lock process and to minimize the necessary and time-consuming refilling of the headwater on the section between Waltrop and Dortmund.

The principle of the lock is very simple: the ship goes into the lock chamber, in which the water level is then slowly adjusted to the lower or upper level, lowered or raised. The ship can then leave the lock on the other side at the same height.

When the lock was dismantled after its closure in 1989, the eastern water pools were removed and replaced by a parking space. The lock gates were also removed.

A pedestrian path leads through the middle of the lock basin, only 10 meters wide and under the lock gate, with its romantic turrets, from the former upper water to the lower water.

The outer harbor at the underwater is also used as a marina. The popular channel cruises on the MS Santa Monika passenger ship usually start here.

The brick walls of the lock basin then rise to the right and left. The now dry embankments and concrete bollards testify that ships used to drive and moor here.

In 1962, the old boat lift and the old lock were supplemented by the new boat lift. However, due to construction defects, this has already been shut down as well. Its trough is 90 meters long and 12 meters wide.

The Café Kortmann, located between the car park and the street, invites you to take a break and offers excellent cakes and of course food and drinks.

The park between the new lock and the open air museum is freely accessible 24/7. The visit is free of charge.

Olfen: Stever Floodplain

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The Stever floodplain begins in the city of Olfen, where the Münsterland and Ruhr area meet. The Stever River flows here at a leisurely pace.

The reconstruction of the nature started over 20 years ago. Here, the company Ruhrkohle AG owned around 45 hectares of land because they wanted to mine coal. Here, however, politics was able to prevent the northward migration of the mining industry.

The city was able to buy the area and began to renaturalize the agricultural areas to the right and left of the Stever river. An open pasture landscape should be created with large ungulates, such as the Heck cattle or Konik horses, as “landscape carers”.

The feeding behavior of the animals alone should gradually bring the floodplain landscape back to its original state - a pasture landscape with small groups of trees and clearer bushes with completely new habitats for breeding birds and rare plant species.

The Heck cattle is considered a domestic cattle breed and, as such, comes from the Aurochs who died out in 1627 according to the conventional view. These hybrid was created on the basis of an image of the auroch from originally 15 cattle breeds, started in the 1920s by Heinz and Lutz Heck. Today's population comprises several thousand animals and is believed to have arisen from only 40 specimens of the Munich Zoo Hellabrunn, which had survived the Second World War.

Konik is the Polish word for "horse" and refers to a pony of 130-140 centimeters in height, which lives nearly wild in herds in many areas of Central Europe. The small horses have a zebra drawing on their legs, which indicates their close relationship to the original wild horse breeds. The Konik Pony is mainly used to maintain nature reserves in German, Dutch and Polish national parks.

Areas were identified, fences were set up and the renaturation of the Stever course was gradually started. The goal was and is that the Stever can step over their banks again unhindered and transform the adjacent areas into a real floodplain again.

The pivotal point of the floodplain is the Stever river, which with its flow behavior makes the character of a floodplain possible. And it too will continue to be renatured.

Until today, a mill separates the upper reaches from the lower reaches of the river. In 2015 a side channel was created that leads exactly through the pasture area. It has reconnected the old branches of the river and now enables the fish to wander undisturbed.

Ultimately, old reinforcements should completely disappear so that the river can find its own bed again. Today the Stever floodplain is an integral part of the city of Olfen.

Numerous visitors enjoy and observe how the image of the Stever foodplains changes from year to year. A few tree trunks lying in the water are the result of past storm damages. Now they are ideal breeding grounds for water birds.

Today, the visitor looks at 120 hectares of pure nature, which is transformed more and more into an original meadow landscape year after year. Storks, kingfishers, wild geese, bank swallows, herons and numerous small animals and insects have discovered the floodplain for themselves.

The Stever floodplains are a sensitive ecosystem. In the interplay of water and animals, the landscape develops its own dynamic, which is subject to constant change. Information boards tell about the history, the inhabitants and the future of this place.

Visiting and parking are free!

- Deutsch/German -

Im Süden Düsseldorfs, zwölf Kilometer vor den früheren Toren der Stadt und unweit des Rheins, liegt das imposante Schloss Benrath.

Es zählt zu den schönsten Gartenschlössern des 18. Jahrhunderts und zu den beliebtesten Düsseldorfer Sehensürdigkeiten. Die Schlossanlage mit seinen Parks, Gärten und Einrichtungen ist eines der mittlerweile seltenen Prunk Bauwerke des ausgehenden Rokoko.

Besucher können bei einer Schlossführung auf den Spuren der Adeligen wandeln, in den kunstvoll und malerisch angelegten Gärten spazieren oder die dort beheimateten Museen für Gartenkunst und Naturkunde besuchen.

1755 wurde auf Geheiß des Kurfürsten Karl Theodorvon der Pfalz ein Barockschloss im Rokoko- und im Klassizistischen Stil erbaut. Die Bauarbeiten dauerten 17 Jahre, von 1756 bis 1773.

Architekt des Lustschlosses mit großzügigen Gartenanlagen war der „Intendant über die Gärten und Wasserkünste“ am Mannheimer Hof, Nicolas de Pigage. De Pigage ließ Schloss Benrath aus dem ehemaligen Wasserschloss von Jan Wellem als "Maison de plaisance" nach französischem Vorbild entstehen. 

Das Bemühen, eine Gesamtkomposition von Architektur, Gartenkunst und Bildhauerei zu schaffen, ist charakteristisch für die Epoche des späten Barocks am Übergang zum Klassizismus. Von außen erscheint es eingeschossig, doch das Schloss hat 80 Räume auf vier Geschossen. Später wurden die Parkanlagen fertiggestellt, die die Architektur des Schosses widerspiegeln.

Große Roben, Adlige, Mätressen, Vergnügen und Feste, dafür wurde Schloss Benrath erschaffen. Der Kurfürst jedoch besuchte sein Anwesen nur ein einziges Mal an einem Nachmittag. 

Nach den Befreiungskriegen ging das Jagd- und Lustschloss 1815 in preußische Hände über. Es wurde u.a. von Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig von Preußen, Prinzessin Luise, Karl Anton Fürst von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen und von Kaiser Wilhelm I. genutzt.

1911 wurde das Schloss von der Gemeinde Benrath gekauft und ging durch Eingemeindung 1929 in den Besitz der Stadt Düsseldorf über. Bis 1958 war dort die Mädchenschule „Benrather Schloss-Lyzeum“ untergebracht. 

In den späten 50er Jahren entstand eine touristische Attraktion aus dem Schloss, auch aufgrund von diversen dort stattgefundenen Staatsbesuchen. Während der letzten Jahrzehnte diente das Schloss auch als Spielstätte für die Romane "Effie Briest" von Theodor Fontane und "Die Betrogene" von Thomas Mann.

Aber auch Filme nutzten das Lustschloss als beeindruckende Kulisse für ihre Geschichten. Seit 2000 hat die Stiftung Schloss und Park Benrath die Verwaltung und Nutzung der Anlage übernommen.

Als beliebtester Park in Nordrhein-Westfalen wurde der Benrather Schlosspark im Jahr 2013 vom WDR ausgezeichnet. Und NRW hat zugegebenermaßen einige schöne Parkanlagen zu bieten. Doch das grüne, florale Anwesen mit rund 61 Hektar Gesamtfläche beeindruckt seine Besucher immer wieder erneut.

Mittlerweile steht ein Großteil des Schlossparks unter Denkmal- und Naturschutz. Die prachtvollen Gärten, Weiher und Wiesen beherbergen heute fast 80 Vogel- und 300 Käferarten.

Bei einer rund zweistündigen Erkundungstour durch die Parkanlagen entdeckt man Obstbaumwiesen, durchwandern den Jagdgarten, erkundet die Früchte der Gemüsegärten und ist fasziniert von dem Spiegelweiher, der beeindruckende 470 Meter lang ist.

Seltene nordamerikanische Gehölze prägen den sogenannten Kurfürstengarten, den herausragende Gartenkünstler wie Maximilian Friedrich Weyhe und Peter Joseph Lenné im 19. Jahrhundert anlegten.

Der Park ist frei zugänglich und der Eintritt ist gratis.

Außerdem finden im Sommer Abendkonzerte im idyllischen Schlosspark statt – eine besonders beliebte Veranstaltung ist das Klassik-Open-Air „Lichterfest“. Ein Sommerkonzert im Park bei dem das dann alle Besucher picknicken.

Das ist in jedem Fall ein besonderes Erlebnis. Die Leute schleppen Tische, Stühle, Kerzenständer, Windlichte, Decken, Kissen etc. in den Park und lauschen klassischer Musik mit anschließendem Feuerwerk und Wasser-Lichtspielen.

Das Schloss selbst kann durch Führungen besichtigt werden, die thematisch unterschiedliche Schwerpunkte setzen. Es warten zahlreiche historische Möbel, Porzellane und Gemälde darauf, bewundert zu werden!

Das Museum für Europäische Gartenkunst ist thematisch einzigartig und bietet auf rund 2.000 qm einen guten Überblick über 2500 Jahre Gartenkunst in Europa.

Das Museum für Naturkunde zeigt die Naturgeschichte der Niederrheinischen Bucht und des Niederbergischen Landes. Hier können Besucher sich über die Veränderungen des Rheinlaufes, die Fischerei, Fauna und Flora informieren.