Schloss Destedt, Water castle in Destedt, Cremlingen, Germany

Schloss Destedt is a castle complex in Destedt, Cremlingen, that began as a medieval water castle. The present building has two upper storeys on a cellar-like base; a projecting central bay with a large gable divides the facade into three parts and carries four Ionic colossal pilasters running through both upper storeys. The gable shows the coats of arms of the von Veltheim and von Bibow families, and a double flight of steps leads to the entrance at the front.

The castle's origins are undocumented; in the 12th and 13th centuries it belonged to the Counts of Wernigerode, and from 1356 the von Veltheim family is recorded as owner. In 1430 Braunschweig mercenaries besieged it; the defenders set it on fire and fled through an underground passage, part of which was uncovered during sewer works in 1980–1983. Joachim Ludolf von Veltheim had the present Baroque building erected in 1693, likely with input from Johann Balthasar Lauterbach.

The von Veltheim family, a Brunswick ministerial lineage, is said to have its ancestral seat here, and the gable of the central bay carries the coats of arms of the von Veltheim and von Bibow families. A Latin inscription there records the 1430 siege by Brunswick troops and the rebuilding in 1693 by Joachim Ludolf von Veltheim and his wife Helene von Bibow.

The grounds are easy to explore on foot, with clear paths through the parkland that allow you to visit different areas at your own pace. It is best to wear comfortable shoes and be mindful of ground conditions depending on the season.

The park's tree list of 1992 records 150 species, about half of them foreign or exotic. Many of the American trees are said to have been sent by General Friedrich Adolf Riedesel from America. The park has been a protected landscape since 1970 and is open to the public.