The Palace of Nordkirchen and the European Garden Network

The palace was chosen as the reference garden for the network (EGHN- Gartenroute Münsterland) because of its importance to the history of garden architecture. The complex built in the early 18th century is called “The Versailles of Westphalia” and was planned and built by the master builders Pictorius and Schlaun.

In the 19th century M.F. Weyhe turned parts of the park into an English landscape garden. The French garden architect Achille Duchene was asked to recreate a neo-baroque garden here at the beginning of the 20th century. The Island of Venus to the north of the palace was created with lawn and broderie parterres, shaped bushes and statues. The other parts of the grand garden, such as the splendid West Garden, kept their baroque structures. The palace park has been included in the European garden network’s internet presentation under “European Themes”.

The European garden network leads you from Nordkirchen to specially chosen gardens and parks of this area( called the Münsterland). Here 6000 square kilometres of land are bordered by the Teutoburg Forest, the Lippe river, an area called the Emsland and Holland. This garden route wants to familiarize people with this charming area that is unknown to so many. Many beautiful gardens and parks can be found scattered throughout the area with its palaces, churches, monasteries, moated castles and country estates. Architecture, parks and landscape blend into a whole. Other points of interest also attract visitors to the area - such as landscape gardens from the era of the Enlightenment or a special 18th century amusement park in Steinfurt. Münsters “Promenade”, a 4,5 kilometre stretch of interesting spaces around the old town of Münster, is another highlight.You will discover a region whose landscape and gardens are intimately related.