Bentheim Castle

Castles are big and old, and there are many stories about them. For example, people say that the devil built Bentheim Castle. He supposedly did it in a single night, hoping to claim a farmer’s soul in return. But the farmer was cleverer, and all the devil got was a raven.

Is that true? Probably not. But one thing is certain: the castle stands in the southwesternmost corner of Lower Saxony. The Counts of Bentheim once lived and ruled there. The oldest parts were built around 1,000 years ago. However, no one knows exactly how it came to be built.

Perhaps this has something to do with Emperor Charlemagne, who lived about 1,200 years ago and ruled the Frankish Empire. He appointed counts throughout his empire to govern the land on his behalf and provide armed knights for his wars.

The emperor granted them the land as a fief. At some point, the counts came to regard it as their own property. They had the peasants work for them and build solid houses where they could feel safe behind the walls. These houses were called castles.

A castle was meant to protect its inhabitants, for example from gangs of robbers or another prince seeking to conquer new lands with his knights. Fields and settlements for farmers and craftsmen grew outside the walls. In times of danger, they could take refuge in the castle. Castles were often built on hills or mountains, making it harder for attackers to get inside. This also gave the defenders a better chance to fight back.

More than 350 years ago, the Dutch painter Jacob van Ruisdael painted a picture of Bentheim Castle. It clearly shows how steeply the land slopes away on either side. A castle like this is called a hilltop castle.

If there was no mountain, a castle was protected by a deep, wide moat. This, too, was meant to keep attackers away. Such castles are known as moated castles.

Above all, the inhabitants hoped the walls and towers of a castle would keep them safe. The walls of Bentheim Castle are up to 5.50 m thick. They are made of sandstone, quarried nearby.

The towers of a castle served as lookout points and as a last refuge. From here, anyone approaching the castle could often be spotted from far away. If the attackers managed to get inside despite all resistance, the defenders retreated to a tower that was especially well fortified.

The tallest tower at Bentheim Castle is known as the keep or powder tower. It is 14 m wide, 14 m long and 30 m high. Beneath the tower is a dank dungeon with no light that extends 12 meters underground. It can only be entered from above through a small opening. It was probably once used as a prison.

Another tower, the Battery Tower, still stands in the southwest of the castle. It is 45 m tall. Some of its rooms were used to store supplies. You can also see the remains of a mill powered by horses. During a siege, the residents could feed themselves for several weeks.

Bentheim Castle has two gates. The lower gate is over 700 years old. Sun wheels, crosses and swords are carved into the sides. These symbols were meant to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits. The darkened upper gate is several metres higher than the lower gate. If attackers made it this far, they would be shot at from the wall above. The upper gate leads into the castle courtyard, to the castle residents’ living quarters, the stables and the storerooms. In the courtyard of Bentheim Castle, you can see, among other things, an old sundial from 1665 and a large sandstone trough.

A castle complex usually also includes a church or chapel. At Bentheim Castle, St. Catherine’s Church is just beyond the Upper Gate. The church interior is very plain. The ceiling is supported by heavy wooden beams. There is also a large gallery.

There is a small pulpit in the church, and a sculpture about 500 years old hangs from the ceiling. It depicts the Madonna, the mother of Jesus. The church also houses the “Lord of Bentheim.” This sculpture, made of Bentheim sandstone, was created by an unknown artist about 900 years ago. It shows Jesus on the cross. The figure disappeared for a long time. It was eventually found in a field, where it had been buried.

In the past, counts and princes also decided which religion their subjects had to follow. In 1588, the Count of Bentheim decreed that people in the County of Bentheim had to follow the Reformed faith, founded by the Swiss theologians John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli. Even today, most people in the County of Bentheim belong to the Evangelical Reformed Church.

Access to water was very important for the inhabitants of a castle, especially when it was under siege. However, getting water was difficult in a hilltop castle. So they collected rainwater in cisterns and dug deep wells into the rock.

At Burg Bentheim, the well is on the north side of the castle wall. It was cut 23 m deep into the rock. There is also an old story about this well. It is said to have been dug by two knights who were held prisoner here. The count supposedly promised them their freedom if they found water. After years of hard work, water finally collected at the bottom. But by then, the men were so exhausted that they collapsed and died.

Today, the successor to the Counts of Bentheim is the Prince of Bentheim and Steinfurt, who usually stays with his family at Burgsteinfurt Castle. Burg Bentheim Castle now has several splendidly furnished rooms in the section known as the Kronenburg.

The ground floor of Kronenburg Castle contains the Knights’ Hall. Some suits of armor and weapons from long ago are also on display. One of the most beautiful rooms is the Ernst-August Salon, furnished with antique furniture and valuable paintings on the walls.

It was named in honor of King Ernst August of Hanover, who lived from 1771 to 1851. At the time, the County of Bentheim was also part of his kingdom. He stayed here during his rare visits. Today, this room is used for wedding ceremonies.

Like all castles, Bentheim Castle tells stories of times long past. In the past, princes and counts alone decided what happened in their lands. Today, decisions are made by men and women elected by the public. They form municipal councils, city councils and district assemblies, and at their head are no longer counts, but mayors and district administrators.

Sometimes only old names have survived. For example, the district that includes the present-day town of Bad Bentheim is called Landkreis Grafschaft Bentheim.