Germany Schloss Senden

In the Middle Ages, the Senden manor was mentioned under the name Benekamp. In 1384, it came into the possession of the Lords of Droste zu Kakesbeck. A moated castle was built under the rule of Ludeke Droste (1405-1466). His son, Sander II Droste zu Senden, erected the manor house in its present form in the second half of the 15th century. The three-stepped gable, typical of the Münsterland region, is considered the oldest surviving monument of its kind.

Since 1566, the Dutch Estates' struggle for freedom against Spanish rule raged. From 1587, the War of Liberation spread to neighboring Westphalia. Senden Castle was captured by Spanish troops and severely damaged. During the Seven Years' War, Senden was attacked and captured by the French in 1759. The complex was expanded and rebuilt several times in the 18th and 19th centuries. In 1899, the rear part of the castle fell victim to a fire. The collapsed parts were rebuilt with bricks and left unplastered.

In 1958, the von Droste zu Senden family sold the castle to a private individual. The building had been largely empty for the last few years. In 2015, the "Schloss Senden e. V." (Senden Castle Association) was founded. The association purchased the castle and secured its structural integrity. Since 2018, Senden Castle has been undergoing renovation and restoration with funding from the Münster District Government, the German Foundation for Monument Protection, and the municipality of Senden.

Parking lot: Parkplatz 1 Sportpark