Beetzendorf Castle

The origins of Beetzendorf Castle date back to around 1200, when it was built in a marshy area. A document from 1204 confirms that the complex was initially transferred as collateral from the von Kröcher family to the von der Schulenburg family. From 1340 onwards, the castle became the permanent property of the von der Schulenburgs after they had left their original ancestral seat near Stappenbeck. Beetzendorf developed in the following centuries into the family's main residence and, together with the properties in Apenburg, formed the core of their manorial lordship until the 19th century. Around 1600, the castle was expanded into a fortress-like complex with moats, which earned the von der Schulenburg family the status of "schlossgesessen" (castle-dwelling) nobility.