Fürstenau Castle is surrounded by water and a wonderful park in the center of the city of the same name. The former state castle of the Principality of Osnabrück was built in the 14th century and served as the residence of the Prince-Bishop. Today the castle is used as the administrative center. The imposing parish church of St. Katharina is also part of the complex.
Today you don't see much of it anymore, but the castle complex stands in the middle of an old moor area. Sand was piled up in a fen, moats were built on the outside and everything was supported with walls. That is why Fürstenau Castle looks like a moated castle today.
Today part of the palace houses the administration of the joint municipality of Fürstenau. You can still visit the site and, above all, look at the great park.
The historic Hanseatic city of Fürstenau was first mentioned in 1344 as "Vorstenowe". The Prince-Bishop Gottfried von Arnsberg from Osnabrück had this year build the first fortress of today's castle in order to enforce his claim to this area against the county of Tecklenburg. Farmers settled around the castle, and the castle became the residence of the Osnabrück sovereign princes for centuries due to its further expansion. 1642 Fürstenau received the city rights. In Fürstenau died 1532 Paderborn, Osnabrücker and Münster prince bishop Erich of Brunswick-Grubenhagen.