Schnellenberg Castle
[1] This castle is a notable Westphalian architectural monument and a popular destination in southern Sauerland, currently housing a hotel and restaurant with views across the landscape between the Ebbe and Rothaar mountain ranges.
[1] The castle retains its medieval features, such as watchtowers, stone archways, and a treasure chamber with historical artifacts, reflecting its long history.
[6] To compensate for this loss, Johann I von Plettenberg, Marshal of the Duchy of Westphalia, oversaw the reconstruction and fortification of Schnellenberg Castle around 1291, with the assistance of the citizens of Attendorn.
[6] In 1294, Archbishop Siegfried von Westerburg of Cologne promised the citizens of Attendorn, who had helped build the Castrum Snellenberch, that the castle would never be used to harm them.
Although the designer remains unknown, the plans may have originated from architect Gottfried Laurenz Pictorius (1663–1729), known for projects like the Prince-Bishop’s Residence Palace in Nordkirchen, Münsterland.
The plans depict symmetrical arrangements typical of Baroque style, featuring a central axis with a fountain leading to a cascade adorned with figures.
A series of steps, still visible today, connected to a higher garden section divided by square beds, with a side staircase leading to a pavilion.
[2] In 1785, Elector Maximilian Franz called Baron Clemens Lothar von Fürstenberg to account for an expression used in a document and ordered the Schnellenberg house to be incorporated into the Cologne Brand Society.
Baron Clemens Lothar von Fürstenberg took legal action against this order and obtained favourable rulings in the lower courts in 1785 and 1789.
On 17 September 1812, the Court of Appeal in Darmstadt finally ruled in Fürstenberg's favour after 217 years, stating that Schnellenberg Castle had been directly owned and property of the Reich Empire under the old imperial constitution.
The St. George's Chapel (de: St.-Georg-Kapelle), located in the upper castle, is a notable feature, built in the Mannerist style and preserved in its original form from 1599.
Sculptor Johann Hocheisen created the stonework, carver Hans Miltenberger contributed intricate wooden inlays, and painter Augustin Jodefeld of Paderborn completed the setting.
[11] The treasure is recognized as a masterpiece of German silversmithing from the late Renaissance and remains in the possession of the family at Haus Herdringen near Neheim.
The chapel currently houses a semi-precious religious relic in the form of a circular plate of the semi precious stone, situated directly in front of the altar.
