Schloss Strünkede

Herne, Germany, Germany

---

Schloss Strünkede in Herne, Germany, is a moated water castle first documented in 1243, originally a fortified medieval structure with towers and water-filled moats that evolved into an early Baroque residence completed in 1664 by Gottfried von Strünkede, featuring remnants of its defensive past amid a spacious park with a large castle pond.

The adjacent Gothic chapel from 1272 stands as Herne's oldest building, built by Bernd von Strünkede for the castle inhabitants, while the main complex served noble families until the late 18th century before diverse 20th-century uses like a hospital and youth home.

Owned by the city since 1944, it now anchors the Emschertal Museum with cultural and local history exhibits, hosts weddings, and welcomes visitors to its French Baroque-style gardens from around 1700.