Schloss Hessen

Osterwieck, Germany, Germany

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Schloss Hessen in Osterwieck, Germany, originated as a medieval moated castle documented since 1129 and transformed in the 16th century into a Renaissance princely palace by the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg. 

Its golden era came in the late 16th and early 17th centuries as a summer residence for figures like Crown Prince Julius—who oversaw expansions including the 1568 west wing—and his son Heinrich Julius born there in 1564, featuring elaborate gardens and a chapel organ later gifted to Frederiksborg.

After wartime damage, fires, and post-WWII neglect near the inner-German border, the partially ruined four-wing main castle and three-wing lower bailey with 1355 towers underwent restoration since 1989, preserving its historic fabric amid scenic countryside.