Haus Rottels

Did the walls of Haus Rottels whisper secrets of soap and schützen? They certainly hold a fascinating tale. Here we stand before Haus Rottels on Oberstraße. It’s a grand, classicist building, but its story goes back much further than its 19th-century facade. This very spot once housed a monastery, founded in 1234 by the Minoritenbrüder, a Franciscan order. Imagine the quiet chants and contemplative lives within those ancient walls. In 1616, the Jesuits took over, transforming the monastery into a bustling gymnasium, a center of learning and debate. The echoes of scholarly discussions replaced the hushed prayers. Then, in 1773, the monastery closed, its life abruptly ended. The buildings were partially demolished, the land lay waiting for a new purpose. Enter the Rottels family. They purchased the site and established a multifaceted business. Imagine the activity, the smells of soap and oil, the flickering lights of their “Seifensiederei, Thran, Oel und Lichterhandlung,” a soap factory, oil and candle shop. In the first half of the 19th century, the Rottels family built the impressive house we see today, Haus Rottels, a testament to their success. Time marched on, and by 1987, Haus Rottels had fallen into disrepair. It was then that the Jubiläumsstiftung der Sparkasse Neuss stepped in, purchasing and meticulously renovating the building. The following year, they generously gave it to the city of Neuss for use by the Clemens Sels Museum. Since 2004, Haus Rottels has held the Rheinische Schützenmuseum Neuss and the Joseph-Lange-Schützenarchiv, preserving the history of the schützen, the marksmen’s associations. Here, within these walls, the stories of monks, students, entrepreneurs, and schützen intertwine, creating a rich tapestry of Neuss’s past. Haus Rottels stands not just as a building, but as a living testament to the ever-changing tides of history.