Aerzen Castle

Aerzen Castle, also known as Schloss Aerzen, is a castle, also referred to as a domain castle, in the municipality of Aerzen (Burgstraße 1) in the district of Hameln-Pyrmont (Weserbergland) in Lower Saxony.

The already earlier founded castle was first mentioned in a document in 1293 as "borch und stad Artelsen". The moated complex was owned by the Lords of Everstein and was pledged 100 years later, partly to the von Münchhausen family and partly to the von Hardenberg family. After disputes (1517) won by the Hardenbergs, their adversary Stacius von Münchhausen was slain by them. In the 16th century, after the castle passed into the possession of the Duchy of Brunswick, the north wing was erected on the castle grounds.

During the Thirty Years' War, in 1642, when Weimar cavalry plundered the town, the castle buildings burned down, were rebuilt after the war, then used as an administrative court, and were a state domain managed by tenants until 1966. After the dissolution of the domain, a school with a gymnasium was built in the castle complex. Today, the castle houses a cultural center with regular events.