Bensberg Castle

Bensberg Castle (Schloss Bensberg) is a Baroque palace in the Bensberg quarter of Bergisch Gladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia, built in the early 18th century. It was constructed as a princely residence and today houses a luxury hotel and event complex.

The palace presents large Baroque façades, formal terraces and a principal stair and state rooms that form the core of the building. The terraced grounds offer views over the surrounding Bergisch countryside and toward the Rhine plain approximately 20 kilometres to the west.

Commissioned in the early 1700s as a princely hunting residence and representative palace for the Elector Palatine, the complex has been adapted over time and now serves a hospitality role while retaining much of its Baroque character.

The palace stands on a ridge in Bensberg, a district of Bergisch Gladbach, roughly 20 kilometres east of central Cologne and within the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan area.

• Location and use: Located in the Bensberg quarter of Bergisch Gladbach, about 20 kilometres east of Cologne, it now operates primarily as a luxury hotel and event venue.
• Architecture and access: The palace is an early 18th century Baroque complex commissioned by the Elector Palatine and retains large exterior façades and terraced grounds that are accessible to visitors of the hotel.

What to See #

• Main palace: The main palace block contains the principal state rooms and façades in Baroque style and is the core of the building now operating as a hotel complex.
• Terraces and park: Formal terraces and gardens descend from the palace and provide views over the surrounding Bergisch countryside and the Rhine plain to the west.
• Hotel and facilities: A converted wing houses hotel facilities including conference spaces and a restaurant, keeping many original interior features.