Wasserburg Hopen, Medieval castle in Lohne, Germany

Wasserburg Hopen is a water fortress with thick stone walls surrounded by a moat, located in the Hopener forest near the Hopener Mühlenbach stream. The structure consists of a main castle and surrounding buildings that extend toward the water.

Herbord von Dinklage had the water castle built in 1517 near the Hopener Mühlenbach stream. In 1637, during the Thirty Years' War and the siege of Vechta, plundering soldiers of the Swedish and Hessian armies burned down the outer bailey. The von Dinklage family held Hopen until 1587; after a brief stay by the von Langen family, the von Haren family resided there until 1793. In 1805 the estate passed by purchase to the von Galen family.

The stone entrance displays a sandstone canopy with the coat of arms of the von Haren and Löw von und zu Steinfurth families. You can see these family symbols as you arrive at the site.

The castle is privately used and sits in the Hopener Wald, reachable on foot through the forest; the moat (Gräfte) surrounds the main house, so keep to the paths. After the 2014 renovation it opened to the public for a guided tour on 6 September 2015. Visitors should expect damp ground near the water and wear sturdy shoes.

The original drawbridge was removed in 1880, and the castle tower collapsed into the moat in 1825, fundamentally altering the site's appearance. These changes show how the structure evolved through events and decisions made over the centuries.