Haus Laer Manor

Haus Laer is a moated castle in the southeast of Bochum in the Schattbach valley at Höfestraße 45. It is one of the oldest aristocratic residences in the Ruhr area.

As early as 890, the "villa Lahari", probably a hamlet or Meierhof, was mentioned in the records of the Werden Abbey. In 1243 the property was first mentioned as “domus Lare” when Count Adolf I von der Mark gave the manor to his follower Heinrich von Vittinghoven as a fief. A castle house is mentioned in 1374. The knight's seat has belonged to the von Leithen family since 1480; In 1895 the property was inherited by the Frielinghaus family.

The main house with half-timbered walls rests on an oak pile foundation from the 10th century, which is dated around 940, making it the oldest surviving part of a secular building in Bochum. The house was built in its current form towards the end of the 15th century under Dietrich von Leithe. Part of the moat that used to surround the entire main castle has been preserved. The outer bailey to the north comes mainly from the 18th century. The house houses an impressive collection of documents, the Ruhr area archive of Haus Laer. A remarkable historical cemetery belongs to the complex.

The Laer family is fed by the Isabella coal mine, which crosses the area of the neighboring, former Opel Works I. This tunnel and its underground tributaries may (as of 2013) be backfilled in the future as part of upgrading the factory premises for subsequent use.

Source:
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haus_Laer

See also:
rittergut-haus-laer.de/baugeschichte.htm

a real manor kitchen

hotel and event location