Schloss Riede

Schloss Riede is a three-story stone château in Bad Emstal featuring typical Renaissance architecture. The building sits on a high natural stone base and displays a Renaissance portal with a distinctive round staircase tower on its eastern side.

The castle was constructed in 1563 by the Meysenbug knight family using materials from earlier medieval structures. This practice of reusing materials demonstrates how Renaissance buildings were often built upon older foundations and components from the medieval period.

The interior features a cast iron oven with decorative plates from around 1564 that reflect Renaissance craftsmanship in northern Hesse. These ornaments show the skilled metalwork that was common in the region during that era.

The castle functions as a civil registry office and exhibition space that requires advance arrangements for visitors. Planning ahead and contacting to arrange access to the interior sections will help ensure a successful visit.

An English-style park surrounds the castle and contains a baptismal font dating to 1563 along with two neoclassical memorial stones. This garden layout connects different periods and creates a bridge between the castle and its surrounding landscape.