Strünkede Castle

The origins of the von Strünkede family can be traced back to 1142, when Wessel von Strünkede was mentioned as a vassal of the Counts of Kleve. The first documented mention of the then-castle Strünkede occurred in 1243. From the 14th to the 16th century, due to its strategic location and feudal ties to Kleve, the complex was involved in conflicts and was besieged and captured multiple times, including in 1317 by Count Engelbert II of the Mark, who destroyed the castle. After reconstruction and further sieges, Jobst the Learned began transforming it into a castle from 1591, a project completed in 1644 under Gottfried von Strünkede. In the 18th century, ownership changed hands several times until the castle was sold to Harpener Bergbau AG in 1900. After various uses, including as a military hospital and police station, it has housed the Emschertal Museum since 1938.