Waldthausen Castle

The villa was built between 1908 and 1910 on behalf of Baron Martin Wilhelm von Waldthausen, a cavalry captain from an industrial family in Essen. He commissioned the architect Hans Bühling for the construction. In 1908, von Waldthausen acquired approximately 95 hectares of land from the municipality of Budenheim. Construction began in December of the same year and was completed by January 1910. In addition to the villa, several outbuildings were erected, including an engine house, a gatehouse, stables, and staff quarters. The total cost of the complex is said to have been 18 million Marks. As early as 1914, the family left Germany and never returned. After World War I, French troops were briefly quartered there in 1919.