Road Trip! - OK, Bike Trip!
Haus Rüschhaus, built 1745
With Spring threatening to come, the local tourist sights keep beckoning to us. We took the opportunity on a rather gray and misty Saturday to bike to another castle - Haus Rüschhaus. The house was built by Johann Conrad Schlaun, a famous German architect for his personal use.
Even though we biked a measly 7 kilometers, one boy said he was "so" tired. It wasn't even up hill!
Behind the Schloß is a Hochzeit Wald. There is a lovely tradition here of planing a new tree when you celebrate your wedding day (Hochzeit).
Each tree was tagged with the Bridal pair's name. Most were too faded to read, but this one had been replaced.
The main entrance to the castle is from the back. The large, white doors are for a carriage.
The house itself was built from 1745 to 1748. The design was supposed to be a mixture of Westphalian farm and sophisticated French country estate. Haus Rüschhaus was first used as a summer home and was sold to Baron Clemens August von Droste-Hülshoff, a German Catholic Aristocrat, in 1825. Droste-Hülshoff was the frather of Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, a very famous German writer.
Her full name is:
Anna Elizabeth Franziska Adolphine Wilhelmine Louise Maria, Frelin von Droste zu Hülshoff.
Adolphine Wilhelmine is my favorite part. Doesn't it just roll off your tongue?
Luckily, all you have to say is, "Annette", and people know who you are talking about.
We walked around to the front and saw a beautiful, formal garden. Just to the left of this greenhouse is a small grey building. The garden sculptures are hiding under these shelters until Springtime.
Like all good castles, the required religious shrine is showcased just across the moat.
The gardens were designed with strict geometric patterns in mind.
You can just see the moat along the left side of the garden. Moats, by the way, were only allowed to Feudal Nobility as s sign of their status. At least in Germany.
The tulips will be lovely in a several weeks!
We found a protected bench (it was a bit windy and only 10 degrees Celsius) to eat our lunch. Boy number one's bike lock was malfunctioning and needed some attention.
Above the front entrance was this lovely coat of arms.
The house itself is closed until the Spring, so we will have to come back to see the inside of the house. I was, however, able to snap this shot through the sidelight.
There are so many beautiful things to see and visit here in Münster. It is hard to imagine that we will not be able to see them all in the next 4 months. But nothing can stop us from trying!
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