The origins of the Wasserschloß “Haus Assen” date back to the 14th century. Under the von Ketteler family, the buildings were expanded to the south (“Neu-Assen”). In 1564, Goswin von Ketteler commissioned master builder Laurenz von Brachum to construct the present-day Renaissance castle. In the mid-17th century, the von Galen family acquired the Essen estate. Under Matthias von Galen, the Neo-Gothic chapel was built by Friedrich Wilhelm Buchholz between 1854 and 1858 and consecrated by the count’s brother-in-law, the famous “Social Bishop” Wilhelm Emmanuel von Ketteler. Blessed Cardinal Clemens-August von Galen (1878–1946)—known as the “Lion of Münster”—often stayed at Haus Assen during his youth. His nephew, Bernhard Graf von Galen, donated the castle in 1997 to the Roman Catholic religious order of the Servants of Jesus and Mary (SJM) as a gift to support their youth ministry.
Public guided tours are offered monthly; you can find the dates h i e r .