© Münsterland e.V./Philipp Fölting
House Stapel
Haus Stapel near Havixbeck is one of the largest moated castles in Westphalia. It was first mentioned in a document in 1211 as the seat of the Kerkerinck family. The estate, which is somewhat hidden away, is completely rented out and therefore cannot usually be entered. However, a few times a year the magnificent house opens its doors so that visitors can view the park, inner courtyard and staircase as part of concerts. On the "Open Monument Day", visitors can also enter the banqueting hall as part of a guided tour by the castle's owner.
Incidentally, "Stapel" comes from "stave", Middle High German for "jam". In fact, since the early Middle Ages there have been extensive dams in which stream water was impounded. At that time, these dams served to operate extensive fishing facilities. The deep and wide ditches in the castle park are thus remnants of this.
Insight into the history of Haus Cappeln
Haus Cappeln was built in the 12th century under Count Hermann of Ravensberg. At the end of the 13th century, the castle passed from the Counts of Ravensberg into the possession of the knight Hermann von Kappeln and in the following years belonged to several owners in turn. In 1382, as a result of the Tecklenburg feud, the castle was captured and destroyed by troops of the Bishop of Osnabrück. It was rebuilt around 1400 at the earliest as a manor on two islands secured by three moats. The foundations of the old castle probably served as the basis.
From 1777, the house was owned by the von Loen brothers. A coat of arms above a cartouche with the date in Roman numerals still refers to the lords of the manor. The baroque three-winged residential building with the double flight of steps and the magnificent portal dates from this time. In 1812, the son and successor of Leon's older brother lost the manor in a gamble to the wealthy Baron von Lange. His heir's daughter married Baron Heinrich von Kalckstein, who carried out renovations in the Renaissance style in 1862.
Cappeln House today
After the owners had changed several times in the 19th and 20th centuries, the Osnabrück industrialist Walter Titgemeyer acquired the now neglected manor house in 1965 and had it extensively restored and extended. The estate is still privately owned today.
Map | House Cappeln
House Cappeln Note
The property is privately owned. The privacy is to be respected, the private access roads and the property are not to be entered. You can, however, view the vast estate from a distance. Take a walk around the house via Von-Loen-Straße, Haus Cappeln, Am Kapellenweg and Bamscher Straße to get an impression.
4 Tips for the Cappeln House
- Hike the Teutoschleife Sloopsteener Seerunde and visit the Sloopsteene, one of the most beautiful and best-preserved megalithic tombs in Westphalia.
- Stroll through the historic centre of Westerkappeln and discover the Protestant town church, which was first mentioned in a document in 1188.
- The Velpe watermill is a former manor mill built by the von Velpe family in 1560. A circular footpath runs along the mill.
- The Westerkappeln Tractor Museum comprises one of the most extensive and important collections of its kind in north-west Germany.
Places of interest around Cappeln House
Blue category: Private castles in MünsterlandI am a blue castle! I am privately inhabited and not accessible. Please regard me respectfully at a distance - I wave to you from afar ...
Münsterland Tourism Centre© Münsterland e.V./Anja Tiwisina
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