Visitors step directly into the Middle Ages via the drawbridge. The defiant main castle, built on stilts, then rises up before them, complete with embrasures and battlements. Originally built by the bishop to secure the sovereign rights of the diocese against the rebellious lords of Lüdinghausen, the later ancestral seat of the Droste zu Vischering family withstood all attacks for 250 years. Until parts of the main castle fell victim to a fire in 1521. Since its reconstruction in the Renaissance style, the complex in the middle of an extensive moat system has remained virtually unchanged. Even the magnificent four-poster bed from the 16th century, whose carved picture program tells of the expulsion from paradise, is still in place.
Wall paintings in the baroque knights' hall
The newly designed, interactive permanent exhibition gives visitors a vivid impression of life in the Middle Ages through to modern times. They accompany the ancestors of the Droste zu Vischering family on their way to becoming one of the most successful landed families in the Münsterland region and gain an insight into the region's castles and palaces. In the showpiece of the exhibition, the baroque Knights' Hall, they even become part of the festive aristocratic society themselves when the famous murals come to life in a magical way.
Together with Nordkirchen Castle and Westerwinkel Castle, Vischering Castle forms an impressive "castle triangle" in southern Münsterland, which is particularly popular with cyclists on the 100 Castles Route. The listed site with the castle and residential and farm buildings on separate islands is also a popular excursion destination for families. Equipped with a tablet, children can discover the castle on their own and test their strength on a knight's armor in the castle's basement. In addition, the district's cultural center organizes an annual knights' camp at Vischering Castle.
Art and jazz music
Throughout the year, top-class cultural events take place in the event hall of the outer bailey, while changing art and cultural history exhibitions by renowned artists such as Markus Lüpertz and Eduardo Chillida are presented on the upper floor of the Remisenhaus. The "BurgJazz" series is a must for jazz music lovers.
