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Witten: Steinhausen Castle
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The Steinhausen Castle is a medieval castle complex, built in the 13th century by the Lords of Witten as a court seat.
First documented in 1297, the castle was almost completely torn down in 1434 by knights from Dortmund, who had come across the river Ruhr with 700 foot servants, 50 riders and 12 wagons, and only rebuilt in a makeshift manner.
The Witten family died out without male heir. By marrying the heiress Jutta von Witten with knight Lutter Stael von Holstein zu Hardenstein, bailiff to Bochum and Wetter, the knight's seat "Steinhus" came to the Stael von Holstein family in 1464 and remained in their possession for almost three centuries.
Lutter's grandson Hardenberg Stael von Holstein, lord of Steinhausen and Dahlhausen, rebuilt the castle in 1529. Robert Stael von Holstein had the tower with a pointed roof and the stepped gable house erected in 1607, as evidenced by the Stael von Holstein coat of arms above the arched door and the inscription: "robbert stael von holstein thumler zu hildesheim built me".
Robert Werner Stael von Holstein, lord of Steinhausen, Dahlhausen and Martfeld, had the chapel built at Steinhausen castle in 1648, where the grave slabs of the family members can still be seen today. The last male offspring of the Stael family from Holstein zu Steinhausen - Wolfgang Robert Leopold, lord of Steinhausen, Martfeld and Lövenich - died in 1729.
His daughters Helena Margareta and Maria Helena, both canonesses to Asbeck, transferred in 1732 (as transaction inter vivos) Castle Steinhausen and the mines in the Ruhr Valley, that had been operated by the Stael von Holstein family since the 17th century, to baron Friedrich Christian von Elverfeldt zu Dahlhausen, grandson of Robert von Elverfeldt and his wife Anna Kunigunde Stael von Holstein zu Steinhausen.
Levin von Elverfeldt built the classicist Steinhausen castle in 1810. The landmark of the old tower on the gable house, the pointed tower, no longer rises above the river Ruhr today. The top was removed due to mining damages and rotten beams.
In the following centuries Steinhausen castle changed hands several times and was converted into a romantic manor at the end of the 19th century. Little reminded that this is a former hilltop mediaeval castle.
The historicist chapel stands on the northeast corner of the manor house. Basically from 1648, it underwent a fundamental redesign in 1904 according to the then prevailing taste of Art Nouveau.
Inside you can see old grave slabs from the 15th to 18th centuries, including the Hardenberg Stael grave stone from Holsteins. The chapel at Steinhausen was built on rocky ground under Robert Stael von Holstein in 1648.
The crypt under the chapel, with archaic cube capitals, was used as a private burial site for the Dünkelberg family until about 1920. The chapel has been lovingly restored and is now accessible again.
The chapel of Steinhausen castle probably had two bells, cast around 1200 and 1500 AD. On one of the bells was the coat of arms of Hardenberg and Stael von Holstein and the inscription "St. Antonius beg for us".
The bell can also come from the former Hardenstein Castle. The Antonius chapel of Hardenstein Castle is mentioned in a document in 1363. Heinrich von Hardenberg died in 1439, the last Hardenberger at Hardenstein Castle. By marriage, the castle came to Stael von Holstein in 1529.
The chapel is not consecrated, but a small altar, a noble cross, saints pictures and pews invite you to pray. Or at least to rethink and switch off. An even older, quieter place of rest lies under the chapel - the crypt, built in 1642.
Until the 1950s or 1960s, the Oberste-Frielinghaus family also had their bodies buried here. The coffins were then transferred, the grave slabs still hang in the chapel. The crypt is now empty and will soon be renovated. But it will remain a devout place of silence.
Today, Steinhausen Castle houses a beautiful restaurant with outdoor dining in Witten-Bommern above the river Ruhr. In the courtyard, a beer garden invites you to enjoy the sunshine between old walls. Weddings are also possible at Steinhausen Castle.
A stonemason can be found in the old stables today. The old gable house is used by the Local Heritage Society, which also strives to preserve the historic buildings and rebuild the old spire.
In the castle park, which invites you to look, marvel and linger, there is a worth seeing permanent exhibition of Shona sculptures from Zimbabwe. Most pieces can also be purchased. Highly recommended!
Zimbabwe's contemporary stone sculpture as the youngest art form in Africa has spawned an incredible number of talents in its sixty years of history. SHONA - ART is concerned with building an economic bridge between Europe and Africa.
All kinds of African animals can be found in and around the castle. You won't see giraffes, elephants and birds in this abundance anywhere in Germany. The stone sculptures from Africa are exhibited in the castle courtyard and in a gallery building (coach house).
Zimbabwe is that country between Botswana, South Africa and Mozambique, which is worldwide known for its abundance of animals and the Victoria Falls. The outside area can be visited, but, apart from the gallery, the buildings not.
Nevertheless, Steinhausen Castle with its restaurant and permanent exhibition is a popular destination in the Ruhr valley. Free parking is available on the street "Auf Steinhausen", uphill to Steinhausen Castle.
The narrow street ends directly at Steinhausen Castle. The gigantic metal animal sculptures are unmistakable: elephants, lions, giraffes, buffalos and other animals are watching all over the place.