Guelph Castle

Guelph Castle Hann. Münden - residence and administrative seat of the Guelphs

The Guelph Castle in Hann. Münden was completed in 1501 by Duke Erich I of Lüneburg-Braunschweig as a Gothic building and from then on served as the residence and administrative seat of the Guelphs. Duchess Elisabeth of Brunswick-Calenberg-Göttingen spent a large part of her life in the Guelph palace in Münden. It was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1560 and rebuilt by Duke Erich II in the early Weser Renaissance style.

Today's Welfenschloss is an impressive remnant of the former seat of power, which lost its unique splendor with the death of Erich II and from then on was only an occasional residence of the sovereign. In 1849, a fire destroyed the south wing of the castle, which was never rebuilt.

Visit the unique Renaissance rooms

Two Renaissance rooms with extensive wall paintings have been preserved in their original form in the Guelph Palace in Hann. They can only be seen in this form in Hann. Münden and nowhere else in Germany. The chambers in the castle can be visited as part of a guided tour.

Current use of the Welfenschloss

Today, in addition to the town archives, the town library and the local court, the castle also houses the town museum, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1998. The museum displays exhibits on the history of the town and long-distance trade over land and water. Exhibits by the sculptor Gustav Eberlein, who lived in Hann. Münden for many years, can also be admired there. The sculptor remained closely associated with the town throughout his life. Products from the Münden faience manufactory are also on display, including the manufactory's particularly popular and high-quality net vases.

Not all Guelph palaces are the same

The Guelph Palace in Hann. Münden should not be confused with the Guelph Palace in Hanover. The latter was built later, from 1857 to 1866, by the architect Christian Heinrich Tramm during the reign of the Kingdom of Hanover under George V. After the Kingdom of Hanover was annexed by Prussia and the Guelphs were dethroned, the palace stood empty for years until the then Royal Technical University moved in. Today, the former castle is home to the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University of Hanover. It is also surrounded by a landscaped park, the Guelph Garden.