Haus Egelborg, Water castle in Legden, Germany
Haus Egelborg is a moated castle near Legden, in the Münsterland region, made up of a north wing in Dutch Renaissance style and a baroque west wing. The whole complex sits inside a wooded area and is enclosed by two separate moats.
The estate was first recorded in 1389 and passed to the von Oer family through marriage in 1662. They shaped the castle across generations and still own it today.
The stone lion sculptures on the gate pillars carry family coats of arms and are easy to notice on arrival. The ornamental brickwork of the facades gives the whole place a very particular look that sets it apart from plainer country houses.
The castle is about 2 kilometers from Legden center and fits easily into a route along the Münsterland cycling network. The grounds can be visited at any time of year, but the building itself is closed to the public.
A mill built in 1907 still controls the water levels in both moats and keeps the whole hydraulic system working. This makes the complex one of the few in the region where the original water management structure is still in active use.
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