Schloss Ritzebüttel, Medieval castle in Cuxhaven, Germany

Schloss Ritzebüttel is a red brick castle in the center of Cuxhaven, built around a central defensive tower with wings added at different times. The structure sits within a small park and brings together medieval foundations, baroque additions and later interior changes under one roof.

The castle grew from a residential tower built around 1340 for the lords of Saxe-Lauenburg. After a 1393 siege by Hamburg, it passed to the city on 31 July 1394 and served as the seat of Hamburg's bailiffs for over 500 years. In 1864 justice and administration were separated, and in 1937 Cuxhaven was exchanged to Prussia, ending the castle's political role.

The bailiffs' former residence now holds a restaurant, exhibition rooms and a wedding room, and every room can be visited. Markets are held on the castle grounds. The Swiss House of 1847, a tea house in Swiss chalet style, stands on the park path encircling the castle and moat, next to a later open-air stage.

The castle is close to Cuxhaven's city center and easy to reach on foot or by public transport. Allow enough time to walk through the different wings, as the building has several rooms and exhibition spaces worth exploring.

The tower's walls were thickened to three metres and the tower raised to 21 metres when Hamburg took over, with the roof frame adding another nine metres. The crenellated tower has stayed largely unchanged in appearance since it was built around 1340, while the defensive walls survive only as fragments in the castle garden.