Wittringen Castle
The Wittringen Castle, also known as House Wittringen, is a moated castle in the North Rhine-Westphalian city of Gladbeck on the southwestern edge of the leisure center Witt rings. Its roots date back to the 13th century.
The diet was once the seat of the Knights enabled Vests Recklinghausen saw during its history many different owners, including the families of Brabeck, from Oeffte and von Vittinghoff - Schell. Today the plant is owned by the city and is home to a museum and a restaurant. Since 1984 she is a listed building.
Description
Wittringen stands on a nearly rectangular Castle Island, which is connected by a bridge to the west of it located, smaller so-called bird island. Both are surrounded by a common, broad moat, which increases in the south to a pond. On the bird island earlier was probably a fortified moth, which can be seen as a predecessor system of the present castle.
On the larger of the two islands, the site of today's castle, once stood the bailey, a pile of rust foundation, which was surrounded by strong ramparts. To the north is a two-storey timber-framed building with a tile-covered gable roof. It involves the after old documents faithfully reconstructed, former manor house. He joins an east -storey gatehouse from the year 1706 to its rundbogigem portal with homelessness mount performs a reconstructed drawbridge. Over his arch found in a triangular gable, a stone coat of arms. Inside was in 1850 still a chapel with a small portable family altar, the owners family had to spend at Goch beginning of the 20th century castle Kalbeck. Both the half-timbered buildings and the gatehouse are on the foundations of medieval predecessors.
On the east side of the island which in the style of historicism main building is of brick with two massive round towers at the western corners. It is with him a neologism from the first half of the 20th century. Particularly noteworthy are his hofseitiger portico on the ground floor, the historicizing gable and the long-drawn balustrade on the first floor.
History
The first mention of a noble family, who called himself " of Witt rings ", is found in a document dating from 1263, which is called a knight named Ludolfus de Witte rings. This is considered the probable builder of the former castle, the origin of time is, however, not to date. Ludolfus de Witte rings came from a dynasty of Horst, that came from the glory Horst in Emscherbruch and a branch of the lords of Altendorf was. On August 25, 1347 was Ludolfus ' grandson Philip of Wittringen his house the Klever Count Dietrich fief and makes him as the open house. Since Philip had no sons, the estate came by marriage to Heinrich von Bracht Becke, the 1394 is mentioned as a Ride on the castle documented. The Brabecker later took the name of their new possessions and called themselves only " Witt rings ". The three Wolf Fishing from the Brabecker family coat of arms were incorporated into the left flank of the Gladbecker Stadtwappens 1919.
In 1438, Ernst of Oeffte, a son of Henry of Witt rings, enfeoffed by Duke Adolf of Cleves, with one half of Witt rings. The other half went to Henry's brother Roseyr, the divested its share in 1447 to Dietrich von Westrem. Dietrich's grandson Rutger later sold again to Konstantin of Oeffte, which thus become the sole owner of Witt rings was because he already had the other half. However, the castle was only about 20 years in family ownership since 1540 she gave Dirk Oeffte of the Knight Jacob of chapels occasion of his engagement to Dirk's daughter. He also did not call for this gift back when his daughter married to another man against his will, and so the house remained until 1697 Capellen'scher possession.
The Thirty Years' War came to Wittringen not unscathed: in 1642 it was sacked by the Hessian mercenaries and completely destroyed. The plant was constructed in 1650 but then again. Here, the two-story mansion was built on the west side of the forecastle. From 1761 belonged to a newly built house for tenant building stock, which was also called " Brawhaus " according to ancient records. The mansion served Meanwhile, the bailiff as a dwelling.
1697 came Wittringen in the possession of Baron Johann Arnold von Vittinghoff - Schell Schellenberg. He had to change the system by 1703 and build new buildings. 1922 sold his descendant Friedrich August von Schell - Vittinghof the plant, including 450 acres of surrounding land and forest land for 3.75 million marks to the city of Gladbeck that made redevelop the property fundamentally. During the work on the mansion were laid down and rebuilt faithfully according to old plans from the archives of the castle Hugenpoet. The stucco ceilings in the building were to molded in plaster to be refitted in the new building in its original form. During the construction of the old buildings remained only the castle fountain, the old kitchen and a fireplace get. The former tenant house was just torn down like the old barn on the east side of the plant to make room for the present main building in the style of the Lower Rhine Renaissance.
The half-timbered building houses since 1928, the Museum of the city of Gladbeck with natural history, mining and urban history collections. The main building houses a restaurant has found a place. At the same time there is a wedding room of Gladbeck registry office.
The bird island opened after total renovation in 2005 its doors once again and shows parrot birds and other exotics. One of the manor house in the southwest subsequent half-timbered building from 1950 with a small shop aquarium had previously been demolished in 2004.