Schloss Körtlinghausen, Baroque château in Rüthen, Germany
Schloss Körtlinghausen is a baroque château in Rüthen, Germany, with a rectangular main building and two detached wings that enclose three sides of a central courtyard. The facade is marked by sandstone-framed windows and tall chimney stacks rising from the roofline.
Construction began in 1714 under architect Justus Wehmer, replacing an earlier moated fortress that had stood on the same site since 1398. The new building marked a clear shift away from a medieval fortification toward a residential country house in the baroque style.
The chapel inside is dedicated to Mary Magdalene and features ceiling paintings from the early 1700s alongside a raised gallery once reserved for the nobility. Visitors who gain access can still see these religious spaces much as they looked when first completed.
The château now serves as a venue for conferences and private events, so public access is not guaranteed on any given day. It is worth checking in advance whether visits or guided tours are available before making the trip.
Between 1999 and 2004, the owner sold a rare 12th-century manuscript to the Getty Museum in order to fund a complete restoration of the building. Without that single transaction, the château would likely not be in the state visitors see today.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
