Strolling around Reinbek Castle transports you back to the 16th century. This castle is near Hamburg. It is also close to Lübeck and Lüneburg. Aristocrats once lived here. Today, many events fill its halls.
Reinbek Castle was built in the mid-16th century. Duke Adolf of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf ordered its construction. It sits where a monastery once stood. The castle served as the seat of dukes. It also housed heads of authorities. Later, it became a hotel and a forestry institute.
In 1972, the city of Reinbek acquired the castle. A major restoration took place in the 1970s. Today, it is a lively cultural and art center. The Dutch Renaissance architecture still amazes visitors. Weddings and concerts take place here. Exhibitions and art fairs are also held in Reinbek Castle.
Duke Adolf I commissioned Reinbek Castle from 1572 to 1576. It served as a secondary residence. He traveled to the Reinbek and Trittau districts. The castle also functioned as a hunting lodge. Large hunts took place annually in the Sachsenwald forest. It was also a guesthouse. People traveling from south of Schleswig-Holstein could stay here. This saved them a trip to Gottorf.
After Duke Adolf’s death, the castle became a residence for ducal widows. Christine of Hesse lived here. After Johann Adolf died, Augusta of Denmark used it. Duchess Augusta added a castle chapel around 1620. It was destroyed in 1901. During the Thirty Years’ War, Swedish and imperial troops occupied the castle. However, it escaped looting.
In 1773, the castle became Danish property. The Danish royal family rarely visited. Reinbek Castle became more of an administrative building. By the late 18th century, Reinbek Castle had deteriorated. There were talks of demolishing it. Christian Frederik Hansen, a government architect, stopped the demolition in 1818.
Prussian control began in 1866. The castle briefly housed the district administrator. In 1873, the office moved to Wandsbek. The Specht family bought the castle in 1874. They turned it into a hotel.
Margarete von Patow purchased the castle in 1919. She made it a Christian vacation home. In 1939, the Reich Institute for Forestry moved in. Reinbek Castle remained undamaged during World War II. It housed refugees after the war.
The district of Stormarn and the town of Reinbek bought the castle jointly in 1972. From 1977 to 1987, a comprehensive restoration took place. It aimed to restore the castle to its 17th-century condition.
Today, Reinbek Castle hosts numerous events. It is open to visitors Wednesday through Sunday. The castle displays furniture and paintings from the Renaissance. Changing exhibitions take place in the former kitchen rooms. The Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival is held here annually. The castle also rents out rooms for conferences. Couples can get married in the Gottorf Room.
Reinbek Castle stands on the Bille River. The surrounding park was once a kitchen garden and pleasure garden. The garden featured nine compartments connected by arcades. It also had sandstone figures. Today, the Reinbek Castle Park is divided into three parts. These include an English landscape garden and a botanical garden. The freely redesigned areas serve public use.
Reinbek Castle is a cultural center. It offers a glimpse into the past. Its rich history and beautiful architecture make it a special place to visit.