Schloss Rantzau, Renaissance château in Rantzau, Germany

Schloss Rantzau is a manor house on an expansive rural estate near Großer Plöner See, displaying architectural features from multiple periods blended together. The building combines Renaissance and Baroque styles, surrounded by gardens and open agricultural grounds.

The Rantzau family established their estate in 1226, and Heinrich Rantzau significantly expanded it starting in 1590 with major architectural improvements. The building we see today reflects multiple renovation phases undertaken by successive generations of the family.

The name Rantzau comes from the Wendish village of Rantzow that stood here before the family arrived; the first known Rantzau, Johann, took his name from the estate and is recorded in 1226 as a squire of Count Adolf IV. The house is private and cannot be entered, so the name and the family history are what a visitor can take away.

The castle is in private ownership and cannot be visited or entered; access is not possible even by prior arrangement with the owners. The building stands behind a dirt track lined with low white stone posts, so it can only be viewed from the public path outside. Its condition is documented in an expert report published online by the current owner.

The castle is privately owned and cannot be visited or entered; a condition report published online by the current owner documents its actual state of decay. The estate was sold in 1965, and the buildings of the former economic yard were destroyed by arson in 1976 and 1978.