Westhusen Castle

A moated castle in the Westerfilde district of Dortmund is Haus Westhusen. Its history dates back to the 14th century and is marked by destruction, reconstruction, and changing noble families who shaped its current appearance.

The origins of Haus Westhusen lie in the first half of the 14th century when Gerlach Specke, a member of the von Bodelschwingh family, had the complex built. In 1311, the property fell to Gyselbert Specke, whose son Gerlach built the house in 1332 and subsequently called himself “Specke zu Westhusen.” A chapel belonging to the house was founded in 1361. During the Great Dortmund Feud in 1388, the estate was destroyed but rebuilt by its owners. Through marriage, it passed to the von Vittinghoff family in 1469, who held it until the 17th century. After destruction during the Thirty Years' War, the castle came to the von Hoete family in 1620, who had it renovated and owned it until 1743. Subsequently, through marriage, it passed to Friedrich Wilhelm von Sydow, whose family rebuilt the manor house in 1750 and gave it its Neo-Gothic appearance between 1886 and 1888 in the 19th century. The castle chapel had already been demolished in 1809. In 1913, Conrad von Sydow sold the estate to Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-AG, which drained the moat. Between 1974 and 1979, the castle buildings were restored. Since the 1980s, the complex has been converted and has served as a senior residence since 1992.