Ahrensburg Castle

The origins of the present castle date back to the Middle Ages, when the fortified Arnesvelde Castle, belonging to Reinfeld Monastery, existed at a nearby location. After secularization in the 16th century, the area came into the possession of Danish King Frederick II, who granted it to the commander Daniel Rantzau in 1567. As Rantzau died childless, his brother Peter Rantzau inherited the property and had the current manor house built around 1585, using materials from the dilapidated Arnesvelde Castle. The estate remained in the Rantzau family for seven generations before it had to be sold in the mid-18th century due to debt. In 1759, the wealthy merchant Heinrich Carl von Schimmelmann acquired the estate. Under his aegis, the manor house was transformed into a representative late Baroque country seat and served as the family's summer residence. The Schimmelmanns also inhabited the castle for seven generations until it was sold again in 1932. After various uses during World War II, including as a military hospital and the seat of the German Naval Observatory, it has housed a museum since 1955.

Ahrensburg Castle is located in the town of Ahrensburg in the Stormarn district, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, at an elevation of approximately 44 m above sea level.

Today, Ahrensburg Castle houses a museum dedicated to the aristocratic culture of Schleswig-Holstein. It is open to the public and is one of the most famous attractions in the state. The ensemble includes not only the manor house but also the former estate chapel with its almshouses and an extensive castle park designed in the style of English landscape gardens.

• Wulfsdorf Manor House (manor and estate house), approx. 3.9 km away
• Jersbek Manor House (manor and estate house), approx. 6.9 km away
• Wohldorf Manor House (manor and estate house), approx. 7.8 km away
• Tremsbüttel Castle (castle), approx. 8.6 km away