Haus Leithe, Water castle in Neustadt district, Gelsenkirchen, Germany.
Haus Leithe is a water castle in Gelsenkirchen composed of three separate buildings arranged around the estate. The main house rises two stories with a rectangular footprint, while a gatehouse with an arched entrance and a barn covering about 400 square meters (4,300 sq ft) complete the complex.
The estate was founded around 1565 as the ancestral seat of the Knights of Leithe, who held it as a fief granted by Deutz Abbey. This made the property a significant holding within the feudal network that shaped the region.
The coat of arms carved into the gatehouse belongs to the Isselstein family and shows how noble families displayed their status through stone carvings. Such symbols were a common way for ruling families to mark their territory and assert their importance in the region.
The property sits at Junkerweg 30 in the Neustadt district and is visible from nearby roads even though the buildings are currently unoccupied. Visitors should note that the site remains private property and interior access is not permitted without special permission.
Local folklore speaks of a secret underground passage said to connect this estate to Haus Achternberg, located several kilometers away. Such legends were common tales surrounding noble seats in Westphalia and reveal how people imagined the power and reach of these strongholds.
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