Nordkirchen Castle (Germany)

This is where the German students of the University of Applied Sciences in Finance prepare their degree!

A pure baroque castle from the 18th century with French gardens.

And more than 200 of them don’t just take classes here. They also have their student room

Rest assured, it is also open to visitors.

Nicknamed the “Versailles of Westphalia”, it was Frederick Christian of Plettenberg who decided in 1703 to build this castle on the basis of an existing medieval castle (as is often the case). The work lasted 30 years.

At the end of the 19th century, the last of the Plettenbergs died and the castle became the property of the Hungarian branch of the family, the Esterhazy. It was then sold to Duke Engelbert-Marie d’Arenberg at the beginning of the 20th century.

Since 1958, the castle belongs to the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

This vast building is not only home to students of finance, but also houses some particularly noteworthy works of art within its walls:

. A trompe l’oeil painting of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, surrounded in each corner by a high relief representation of the four evangelists with their respective symbols. It is located on the ceiling of the chapel (where the visit begins).

. The founder’s coat of arms sits above the altar (covered by a cloth given by King Louis XIV).

. Paintings by the Italian Rico and also his imitations of black marble on wooden columns.

. A magnificent statue of a child accompanied by his dog, one of the heirs of the family (in the vestibule)

. A portrait of Emperor Francis I of Austria and his wife Maria Theresa (Marie Antoinette’s parents) located in the imperial room, where the
in the imperial room, where the Italian fabric covering the walls is valued at 140 euros/m2,

. A Venetian chandelier with gold splinters, marble sinks in the shape of scallops, and the coat of arms of the Plettenberg family, in the Rocaille-style dining room.

The restoration of the castle, launched more than 50 years ago, will have cost nearly 14 million euros, notably because of the immensity of the gardens (176 hectares).