Two kitchens? Yes, Schloss Neunhof holds more than meets the eye. This picturesque estate gives us a glimpse into Nuremberg’s patrician families’ summer lives. It showcases their lifestyle from the 16th to the 19th centuries.
Schloss Neunhof stands in Neunhof. It is a village just north of Nuremberg. This manor house is one of the few remaining medieval patrician houses open to the public. Once, nearly one hundred such houses dotted the landscape.
Originally, the house was built in the 12th century. It faced destruction and rebuilding several times. The Kreß family acquired Neunhof in the mid-14th century. They already owned the Kressenstein manor in Kraftshof. Hans Kreß constructed the current building around 1479. He added a moat for protection.
After Hans Kreß died in 1500, his widow sold the property. Georg Fürer, a wealthy Nuremberg merchant, became the owner. Fürer added a wall, two floors and the characteristic twin gables. Over the next century, ownership changed hands. Eventually, the Koler family, Nuremberg patricians, acquired it.
In 1615, Susanna Koler married Johann Wilhelm Kreß von Kressenstein. This act returned the property to the Kreß family. The last male Kreß descendant died in 1856. The house remained unoccupied for decades.
The German National Museum started restoring the property in 1961. They followed a 1740 floor plan. In the late 1970s, a palace garden was added. Today, Schloss Neunhof serves as a branch of the German National Museum. Extensive restoration led to its closure to the public in 2013.
Schloss Neunhof covers about 1.3 hectares. Most of the area is the palace garden on the east side. A walled bailey occupies the southwest corner. There is a covered bridge across the western moat. The northern wall reveals where a drawbridge once stood. The now-dry moat encloses the manor house, stables and a wash and bath house.
The manor house itself is compact. Its footprint measures only 13 by 10 meters. Half-timbered upper stories extend beyond the ground floor. The fortified manor house includes a gate, moat, drawbridge and outbuildings. Stables and gardens complete this unique domestic ensemble. It lies in the heart of “Knoblauchsland.”
Inside Schloss Neunhof, unexpected treasures await. Two kitchens exist. One was used for cooking. The other was purely for show. The domestic chapel contains altar panels from the Kraftshof church. A playable organ “made in Nuremberg” also resides here.
Many visitors come to admire the early Baroque garden of Schloss Neunhof. The picturesque estate is also available for organized children’s parties.
The castle was constructed for the Patrician Kress family in the second half of the 15th century. The castle is equipped with moats and a bulwark. Since baroque times the castle was used as a summer and hunting seat. It was also then that the gardens were added. Neunhof Castle is one of the best-preserved manors of the region.
Living in such a historic monument presents challenges. Due to preservation issues, a shower could only be installed in the stables.
In 2021, the non-profit Schloss Neunhof Foundation was established. Its primary mission is to preserve the castle as a historical monument. The foundation also undertakes various tasks related to the castle.
Schloss Neunhof stands as a testament to Nuremberg’s rich history. It reminds us of the families who shaped the region. Its architecture, gardens and collections offer a fascinating glimpse into the past. Take a moment to appreciate this unique cultural treasure.