"The moon with its pale finger quietly reaches through the crack in the wall." With these lines, the poem "The Foundation of the Cappenberg Monastery" begins. Annette von Droste-Hülshoff wrote it. The monastery was founded in 1122, was already a castle before, and in the 19th century, it was converted into a palace. It cost four and a half million euros to properly restore the museum in the Unna district. Now it is open for visits again.
The sun shines on old trees with massive trunks. Birds are chirping, there is a wine tavern, a bowling alley, and a theater. Unfortunately, it is currently not showing any performances. Cappenberg Castle near Selm in southern Münsterland is not just a castle. But a small area made up of various buildings. It also includes the Romanesque collegiate church from the 12th century.
When the church was built, the castle was a monastery. After the French Revolution, much changed. First, the Cappenberg Monastery was secularized like many of its kind, meaning it was released for secular use. And then a man moved in here, who was partly responsible for the successful development of Prussia in the 19th century, Baron Karl vom und zum Stein.
Urgent recommendation: One should take the audio guide when entering the castle. The voice of the chamberlain Johann comes from the headphones. The master of the house is currently away, a favorite horse has escaped. The baron or freiherr – does anyone know about noble titles – is currently catching it again. After the renovation, the entire castle is barrier-free, and there are some new exhibits.
There it is, the desk of Mr. Baron. Of course, made from heavy wood like the cabinets and tables. And like the floor made of creaky floorboards. No one can sneak around here. Anyone who moves makes noise. There it lies, one of the most important documents from around 1800, the Edict of Peasant Liberation. It was one of the greatest achievements of Freiherr vom Stein. The formerly serf peasants in Prussia became their own masters. This decision was not made out of pure humanitarianism. After the French Revolution, Prussia had to be reorganized, to become a modern state. Freiherr vom Stein also reformed the administration, he was one of the thinkers of the country. From Cappenberg, he repeatedly intervened in politics.
Special Exhibitions in the Castle
On the ground floor of the castle, the district of Unna presents changing art exhibitions. Beginning with Heinrich Graf von Luckner, an influential artist after World War II, professor at the University of Fine Arts in Berlin. He painted many portraits, for example, Federal President Theodor Heuß, clearly recognizable, with the expression of a responsible statesman, slightly expressively distorted. The first art exhibition is dedicated to Luckner because there is a large mural by him in the castle. Luckner designed an entire room, a 360-degree panorama with young people whose primary interest is not clothing, but playing around by a spring. A harmless, cheerful painting from 1938.
From the windows of the castle, there is a magnificent view of the northern Ruhr area and the southern Münsterland. Unfortunately, the observation platform on an old water tower is closed during my visit. Next year, Cappenberg Castle will be part of the exhibitions celebrating the 900th birthday of the Staufer Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. In the church, there is a Barbarossa head, which is currently on display in the nobility exhibition at the Ruhr Museum. It will return next year. And Cappenberg Castle has the chance to gain further prominence as a cultural gem in Westphalia.
