Prinzeßhof Palais

A building at the site of the current Prinzeßhof was first mentioned in writing in 1556. It served as the residence of the Itzehoe monastery. In 1569, the Steinburg bailiff Otto von Thienen acquired the property; he built a double house on it and henceforth referred to it as Thienenhof. The Hof served as the residence for the von Thienen family for the next 80 years. The Prinzeßhof survived the subsequent period of the Thirty Years' War largely unscathed, as one of the few buildings in Itzehoe. In 1674, under bailiff Niklas von Brüggemann, an extensive expansion took place: the building was enlarged by a third and fitted with a high hip roof, and the central portal was redesigned in accordance with the taste of the Baroque era.

Until the beginning of the 19th century, the palace can boast a number of very different inhabitants; it was frequently rebuilt and its furnishings renewed to meet the needs of the time. The house served several bailiffs as a residence and administrative seat, was owned by the noble Blome family and Count Rochus Friedrich zu Lynar. From 1807, it was the short-term residence of Elector Wilhelm I of Hesse-Kassel, who had fled into exile from Napoleon. After 1810, the Prinzeßhof received its Neoclassical ballroom. From then on, the house served as a residence for various princesses and thus received its current name. Residents included Juliane zu Hessen-Kassel – a daughter of the Holstein governor Karl von Hessen-Kassel – from 1810 to 1860, as well as Luise (from 1860 to 1894) and Marie (from 1894 to 1941) von Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. In 1958, the building was sold to the city of Itzehoe, which briefly housed the social court and the district farmers' association here.

In 1964, the District Museum was allocated several rooms in the Prinzeßhof and was gradually integrated into the building. From 1984, a complete renovation of the house took place. The District Museum is dedicated to the history of the Steinburg district in various exhibition rooms. The Prinzeßhof itself represents a part of this history, and in some rooms, for example in the so-called Biedermeier room, the living culture of past times is presented. The Fehrs Room presents the legacy of the Low German poet Johann Hinrich Fehrs. Another focus is the cement industry (a formerly significant branch of industry in Itzehoe (see Planet Alsen) and today in the neighboring Lägerdorf). In addition, special exhibitions on changing themes take place in the museum.

The Prinzeßhof Park, adjacent to the District Museum, was redesigned between 2006 and 2008. As part of this renovation, three sculptures made of Corten steel were installed. The design is by Anthony Newsom and depicts the namesakes of the park.