Landau Castle

Landau Castle is located in the north of the Landau district of Bad Arolsen in the Waldeck-Frankenberg district and dates partly from the 14th century.

In the 13th century, a castle complex stood on the same site. This was converted into a castle around 1330 by Count Heinrich IV of Waldeck. From 1366, his grandson Heinrich VI temporarily used it as a residence. From 1397 to 1495, the older Landau line of the Counts of Waldeck resided here, and from 1550 to 1597, the newer Landau line. Extensive reconstruction measures began in 1549: parts of the east and north wings, the large stair tower on the courtyard side, and the portal to the courtyard on the east side are preserved from this period.

Towards the end of the 14th century, a Romanesque-style chapel based on the original crypt was added, which was later completed in Gothic style and served as a burial chapel for the count's family. This former burial chapel is now the Landau town church of the Protestant parish. While the castle is located on the edge of the old town, the church stands on the highest point of the castle hill in the middle of the old town.

From 1749-1763, the castle was rebuilt again after a fire in the town.

In 1933, the building became the seat of an agricultural college. Since 1948, it has housed the "Schloss Landau" retirement and nursing home, an outpost of the Evangelical Altenhilfe Gesundbrunnen in Hofgeismar. The castle garden with its historic stone fountain was transformed into a therapy garden. In addition, there is an old orchard with apple, plum, raspberry, gooseberry, and currant trees. Since the castle is owned by the Waldeck Domanialverwaltung and is used as a retirement home, a visit is not necessarily possible and must be arranged in advance with the head of the institution.