Arolsen Castle

Arolsen Castle is a Baroque royal residence in Bad Arolsen with multiple wings arranged around a central courtyard. The interior features elaborate ceiling frescoes created between 1721 and 1722, and today parts of it function as a museum and house library collections.

Construction began in 1710 under Prince Friedrich Anton Ulrich of Waldeck and Pyrmont and stretched over more than a century until completion in 1810. This extended building period reflects the changes the court and region experienced during that time.

The Princely Waldeck Court Library inside houses an extensive collection of 18th-century books covering geography, history, and military subjects. This collection shows what topics fascinated the princely family and how educated the court was at that time.

The castle is open for guided tours from April through November, with the west wing serving as a museum and exhibition space. Visitors should allow time to explore the rooms and collections, as the building is large and offers much to see.

Princess Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont, who later became Queen of the Netherlands, was born here in 1858. Her life connects the history of this princely residence to one of Europe's royal families.