Our house and its history
From the Electoral Residence to the Grand Hotel
Bensberg Castle towers majestically over Cologne – a Baroque gem that embodies centuries of European history. From its glorious foundation as a project born of a prince-elector’s love, through turbulent times, to its rebirth as a grand hotel: the castle tells a fascinating story of elegance, change and endurance. Discover the layers of this unique architecture and learn how a dilapidated monument was transformed into a timeless place of culture and hospitality.
Baroque elegance: The founding (1703–1711)
The commission by Elector Johann Wilhelm II and the construction of the hunting lodge modelled on Versailles
Out of love for his second wife, the Tuscan Princess Anna Maria Luisa, Elector Johann Wilhelm II commissioned the Venetian architect Matteo d’Alberti in 1703 to undertake a magnificent project without equal. Drawing on the architectural models of Versailles and Winchester Castle, d’Alberti built a majestic hunting lodge on a mountain terrace high above Cologne by 1711. The carefully designed complex was modelled on Baroque ideals and combined Italian elegance with French ceremonial splendour. The visual axis was deliberately aligned so that Cologne Cathedral could be seen at its centre – a technical and artistic masterpiece of its time, which later even filled Goethe with admiration.
Changing Times:
Diverse Uses
(18th–20th centuries)
From a French field hospital to a Prussian cadet college and on to the barracks
Following the Elector’s death in 1716, the palace was left abandoned. His widow returned to Italy and left the unfinished building to its fate. Over the centuries, the fairytale-like Baroque castle was used for a wide variety of purposes: from 1793 to 1815, during the two Napoleonic Wars, it served as a French and Prussian field hospital where wounded soldiers were treated. From 1840, a Prussian cadet college took possession of the castle – junior officers were trained in its Baroque halls. From 1935 to 1945, the Nazis used the castle as a National Political Education Centre.
A fusion of history and luxury
redefined:
The opening in 2000
The transformation into a 5-star grand hotel
After 1945, it was initially used by American and British occupying forces, and from 1946 onwards by Belgian occupying forces. Between 1965 and 1997, it served as the premises of the Belgian secondary school, the Koninklijk Atheneum Bensberg. Following the Belgian occupation, the castle was in need of renovation. In 1997, it underwent a cultural rebirth through extensive renovation, transforming it into a grand hotel. Craftsmen and architects restored every stone, every stucco feature and every portal with the utmost care. In 2000, the Althoff Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg opened its doors. Its 111 exquisite rooms and suites combine Baroque elegance with timeless décor. The Vendôme restaurant became a mecca for gourmets. This meticulous restoration saved a European cultural monument.
Timeless elegance: The present
A timeless setting for culture and hospitality
A delicate veil of morning mist lies over the gently rolling hills – then Bensberg Castle rises majestically from the mist. The first rays of sunlight dance across the slate roof, bathing the Baroque façade in a white-gold glow. Today, one of Europe’s largest Baroque castles presents itself as part of the exclusive Althoff Collection Hotels and as a venue for outstanding events, culinary delights and a place for people to come together. The breathtaking panorama overlooking Cologne and the cathedral provides the perfect backdrop for unforgettable moments.