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English Translation by Mabel Busdieker
Return to trip summary Bergfeld family page
The beginnings of the Steinfurt Water Castle reach back into the
10th century. On an artificially manmade (pushed together
rubble) hill (French Mote) stood the first defense custody structure.
For the first time it is mentioned, when in 1164 in a feud with the
rulers of Ascheberg it was destroyed. In the features of the
reconstruction stood the outer circle wall, the gate tower, the
"Bergfried" mountain of peace (so called Buddenturm 1773-1793 pulled
down) and the square residence tower (Donjon) with the big Knight's
Hall. In the twelfth century the castle chapel was built with a
beautiful entrance of corner column pillars on the sides. In the
thirteenth century it had another story built on top. Both chapels
were connected through an opening and were, until the fourteenth
century, used as two stories.
A magnificent piece of the main castle is the House of the
Countess Walburg with her richly decorated display or illumination
from the year 1559. It is the work of cathedral sculptor Johann
Brabender gen. Beldensnyder. Graf (Count or Earl) Arnold IV had the
Renaissance Tower erected in 1596 (Renovated 1882) . What is now the
front castle was, in the twelfth century, peaceably begun, but with
polisades (stakes set in a close row as a defense) as a fortification
fixed and in the thirteenth century partly surrounded with a circle
wall, that was built until in the water. On the circle wall were
situated apartments, stables, economical buildings and two
Castlemanyards. Near the picturesque Gateway House from the
15th century is located an older "Burgmanshof"
Castlemanyard called Ritterburg (Knight's Castle). "Remisen" (?) and
two economical buildings were closed or shut down. In the middle
stands a "Brunnenhäushen (small house on top of well) the work
of stonemason and architect Johann Schrader from the year 1727. A
blacksmith's forge and a cabinetmaker's shop are accommodated in the
back buildings.
The Steinfurt Castle belongs to the oldest and most powerful "Wasserburgen des Munsterlandes" guarantors of the national cathedral region and is even today private property. It is inhabited by the prince's family of Bentheim and Steinfurt and it accommodates the generous administration. Therefore only several parts of the castle can be visited or viewed by visitors. They are "Burghöfe" Castleyards, "Doppelkappelle" Double Chapel, and "Rittersaal" Knight's Hall.
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A small house/arch on top of well, work of stonemason and architect Johann Schrader from the year 1727.
A magnificent piece of the main castle. richly decorated "auslucht" display from the year 1559.
A view from the upper chapel . The ornamental iron surrounds a floor opening where nobility could view proceedings in the lower chapel. The lower chapel was used in the 12th & 13th centuries. In the early centuries only nobility were allowed on the upper floor of the "two story" chapel. Pheasants were downstairs, standing room only, with a "cross" floor plan .