Lembeck Castle


Lembeck Castle, located in the urban area of Dorsten on the border of the northern Ruhr region and the southern Münsterland, is a moated castle. It is located in the Hohe Mark Nature Park and surrounded by the "Hagen" and "Kippheide" forests to the south of the Dorsten district of Lembeck in the northwest of the Recklinghausen region.
The name "Lembeck" for the castle is derived from Low German. The root word "beke" signifies "flowing water" or "brook". The determiner indicates “slimy” and is related to "loam" and "glue" linguistically. Consequently, Lembeck can be translated as Lehmbach, indicating its previous location in a swamp and bog region.

Description

Building

The Lembeck meadow stream has been dammed on the castle grounds to form a rectangular pond that spans an area of 190 × 160 meters, encircling the entire complex. As a result, the various parts of the castle are situated on an island that is interconnected by bridges.
The Baroque palace complex exhibits a symmetrical structure, defined by a rectilinear east-west axis that extends for a length of 500 meters. The axis begins with a 200-meter-long avenue from the east that leads to the former three-winged outer bailey.

Outer bailey

The outer bailey comprises two wings and a one-story façade 110 meters wide, interrupted by a two-story gatehouse made of ashlar sandstone. Access to the outer bailey is granted through two consecutive bridges. It is currently covered with a basic mansard roof. Above the gateway is a keystone displaying the coats of arms of Dietrich Conrad Adolf von Westerholt zu Lembeck and his wife Marie Theodora von Waldbott-Bassenheim-Gudenau, along with the year 1692, signifying the completion of the outer castle rebuilding.
At its ends, the southern wing of the outer bailey is bordered by single-story corner towers adorned with Welsh hoods and imperial shaft ends. These towers feature keyholes in the basement. Additionally, the southeast tower, as well as the towers situated to the left and right of the gatehouse, also possess embrasures.

Manor house

Access to the three-story manor house is through the outer courtyard and across a stone-arched bridge. Although initially intended as a three-winged structure, it is believed that financial constraints led to its execution as a two-winged building. Notably, the manor house was originally decorated with a plaster finish featuring incised ashlars, rather than painted ashlars as previously assumed.
The east wing, consisting of two pavilion towers, measures 94 meters in length and was fully finished in 1679. On the other hand, the earlier northern wing was incorporated into the reconstruction efforts between 1674 and 1679.
The sandstone portal above the entrance is a more intricate design than the outer castle. Its elevation, reaching up to the base of the roof, gives it the appearance of a central risalit. The portal showcases the coat of arms representing the alliance between Burchardt von Westerholt zu Lembeck and his wife Clara von der Recke. Behind the portal is a passage inspired by Italian Renaissance and Mannerism architecture. Similar passage halls can be found in renowned structures such as the Palazzo Pitti and Palazzo Strozzi in Florence, as well as the Palazzo Farnese in Rome. This design element allowed arriving guests to enter the building without getting wet during rainy weather, while their carriages were either turned or parked in the courtyard.
From the courtyard of the mansion, there is a broad sandstone staircase consisting of 14 steps. This staircase leads to a 19th-century terrace, which provides access to the present entrance portal.
On the side facing the inner courtyard, the façade of the mansion features a Renaissance bay window supported by double curved sandstone consoles. The front of the bay window is divided by six windows, and some of these windows bear marked glass panes with dates, providing insights into the construction period of the building. The latest date found on the glass panes is 1677, offering a valuable clue regarding its historical timeline.
All the corner towers of the manor house have Welsh hoods and pear-shaped embrasures in their bases.
To the west, a wooden bridge connects the mansion island to the park. The brick bridge piers are adorned with yellowish Baumberg sandstone and crowned by putti holding coats of arms. These piers, designed by Johann Conrad Schlaun in 1728, were built after 1730. The putties are depicted holding the coats of arms belonging to Ferdinand von Merveldt and Maria von Westerholt-Lembeck.

Chapel Tower

Situated at the northwest corner of the manor house, the chapel tower showcases a neo-Gothic architectural style. It has undergone numerous alterations throughout its history. The portal on the tower’s eastern side, which dates from the late 17th century, reflects its original design. Its cellar was previously used as a prison, while later it functioned as a wine cellar for the castle's restaurant. The former cross vault of the tower was demolished in 1737.
The tower derived its name from the chapel, which has been documented there since 1737. However, historical records indicate that the chapel was initially mentioned in 1363 when it was located in the hall chamber house. Based on the documents that are currently available, the notion that the chapel was relocated from the hall chamber house to the tower in 1692 is unsubstantiated.

Interiors of the manor house on the mezzanine floor

Unlike other Baroque castles, the interior layout of Lembeck does not follow the typical hierarchical arrangement of rooms centered around a central hall. This can be attributed to the limitations imposed by the existing building structure during the construction work in the last quarter of the 17th century. Instead, the interior design adopts the cabinet system in Enfilade, which features a series of interconnected rooms following French models. It is worth noting that this design choice was already falling out of fashion in France during the time of construction. Despite following the Enfilade style, the alignment of the room passages does not strictly adhere to a straight line.
With the exception of the Fidelitas Cabinet, the small salon, the small hall, and all the other rooms in Lembeck Castle are decorated with a dark, coffered oak lambris. This type of paneling is characteristic of early Baroque design and adds a distinct aesthetic to the interior design of the rooms.

Main wing

Corridor

The 45-meter-long hallway on the courtyard side is flanked by five adjoining rooms. Five enormous tapestries from a Flemish workshop originating from the 17th century are displayed along the eastern walls of the hallway. These tapestries depict scenes from the saga of Odysseus and Iphigenia. Additionally, there is a coat of arms cartouche from the late 17th century, showcasing the alliance coat of arms of the Westerholt and von der Recke families. The corridor is finished with a variety of ceramics from the Netherlands and Asia.

Tower room

The room in the south tower of Lembeck Castle occupies the entire space with a floor plan of 5.75 × 5.75 meters. It stands out as the sole living room in the castle that contains a substantial cross-ribbed vault. The lower sections of its walls, along with the areas between the windows, feature panels crafted from fragments of the Rococo and Empire periods. On the south wall of the room, there is a fireplace from 1563, the location of which was originally the burned-down north wing of the outer castle.

Fireplace room

The fireplace room features a beamed ceiling, which was only uncovered in 1960/61 under a stucco ceiling and still has remains of the original 17th-century painting. The room derives its name from the fireplace, crafted from Baumberg sandstone, which showcases elaborate Renaissance-style decorations. Attached to the fireplace is a coat of arms that signifies the familial connections to the von Raesfeld and von Bronckhorst families, who resided in Anholt Castle. According to a floor plan from 1779, two dressing rooms were positioned on the south side of the chamber, indicating its previous function as a parade bedroom.

Biedermeier room

The room got its name only in the recent past due to the style of its interior. It is otherwise plain and has no architectural decoration.

Bedroom

The bedroom in Lembeck Castle has a remarkable architectural feature in the form of a grand, classicist stucco rosette adorning its ceiling. The room is furnished with a late Gothic wardrobe from around 1500 and a four-poster bed with a canopy bearing an alliance coat of arms of the von Raesfeld and von Recke families.

Fidelitas Cabinet

The Fidelitas Cabinet derived its name from an oil painting on its ceiling, depicting an allegorical representation of Fidelitas. This is the only remaining original wall painting at Lembeck Castle. The room's distinctive feature is the white color of its oak lambris, setting it apart from others. Delicate pastel-shaded stucco frames small oval oil paintings, likely portraits of the daughters of Dietrich Conrad von Westerholt and his wife Maria Theodora von Waldbott-Bassenheim-Gudenau. Despite its compact size, measuring only 10.6 m2, the Fidelitas Cabinet underwent a comprehensive restoration in 1972, preserving its unique historical character.

Small drawing room

The room located above the passage hall has wainscoting and white-painted doors. Its walls are covered with Chinois wallpapers from the 18th century. The oak parquet floor remains in its original form, showcasing the enduring beauty of this classic flooring choice. A cylindrical stove made of cast iron replaced the previous fireplace in the 18th century, reflecting the changing trends in heating technology during that time. This transition to a new type of heating system aligns with the evolving fashion and functionality of the era.