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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!