Hachen Castle was built around the year 1000 and was initially owned by Count Ezzo. In 1060, Otto von Northeim received the castle from his wife, Countess Richenza, a member of the Ezzonen family. Twenty years later, in 1080, Otto’s son, Count Kuno of Beichlingen, gifted the castle to the Archbishop of Cologne. The archbishop granted the castle as a fief to the Counts of Dassel. In 1232, the Counts of Dassel sold the castle to the Counts of Arnsberg. Following the sale of the Grafschaft in 1368, ownership reverted to the Archdiocese of Cologne.
Around 1371, Hachen Castle served as the widow’s residence of the last Countess of Arnsberg, Anna. However, she later chose to reside at Wildshausen Castle near Arnsberg. The castle’s importance began to decline in the 15th century. The castle passed into the possession of the Lords of Werden, Ketteler, von Thülen, von Ledebur, and von Fürstenberg. It was not until 1839 that the castle became the property of the municipality of Hachen. On August 3, 1924, the war memorial next to the castle ruins was dedicated.
The castle’s architectural history has not yet been sufficiently researched. Some drawings from the 18th and 19th centuries still depict it as a towering ruin. Only a few documents regarding construction projects—such as those from the 15th century—have survived.
To investigate its architectural history, the Westfalen Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments conducted an investigation first in 1923 and then again from 1978 to 1980. During these excavations, the main castle site, measuring 40 x 60 meters, was uncovered. Below the main castle, on a plateau, stood an outer bailey. The vulnerable north side was protected by a 2-meter-thick shield wall. Behind it stood a round tower (possibly the keep) with a diameter of 8 meters. The tower was later replaced by a trapezoidal building with thick walls. Several other buildings were added as well.
Even today, it’s worth the climb up to the castle ruins, as the view of Hachen from there is truly beautiful.
