Gesmold Castle

The first documented mention of Gesmold dates back to 1160, when the Lords of Gesmel received permission from Bishop Philipp von Katzenelnbogen of Osnabrück to build a defensive castle. Bernhard von Gesmel, the first named lord of the manor, went to the Holy Land as a knight in 1215. The original structure, a residential and refuge tower from the 13th century, was expanded into the current castle between 1544 and 1559. The complex was once surrounded by two outer bailey and three moats, which led to the main building via drawbridges. During the Baroque period, a French garden with a grand staircase, an orangery, and a game preserve were created, later redesigned in the English style.