Ense: Haus Füchten, Village Church and Cycle Routes
Accommodation in Ense
Ense reveals different traces of its history and landscape: Haus Füchten tells the story of a castle first mentioned in 1298, the Basilica of St. Lambertus dates from the late 12th century, and distinctive rock strata can be explored at Pfarrwald. Former monastery remains and cycle routes through several districts complete the picture. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, you can decide whether historic sites or cycling tours should be the focus of your stay.
Haus Füchten: Castle, Palace and Stucco Work
A castle stood on the site of Haus Füchten and was first mentioned in 1298, when the fief was granted to the knight Goswin von Soest. Around 1700, Caspar Diedrich von Droste zu Erwitte had the castle demolished and a palace built on the hillside. These key dates mark two distinct construction phases: the castle’s first mention and its later replacement by a palace.
A Baroque bridge dating from 1698 leads to the main building of Haus Füchten. On the first floor, the large hall is decorated with figurative and ornamental stucco work. The bridge and hall therefore represent different architectural features of the estate: a dated link to the main building and an interior decorated with figures and ornaments.
Village Church and Traces of a Monastery
The small, two-bay Basilica of St. Lambertus stands in the centre of Bremen, one of Ense’s districts. It was built towards the end of the 12th century. The traces of the former Himmelpforten Cistercian convent southeast of Niederense offer another way to explore local history. Fragments of the foundations remain there, and a white cross marks the site of the former abbey church. The grounds of the former monastery can be explored on foot or by bicycle.
The two historic sites are quite different: in Bremen, a basilica is the central building, while at Himmelpforten, surviving wall fragments and the marker for the former abbey church point to the monastery grounds.
Geological History and Views of the Ruhr Valley
At the foot of the Haarstrang ridge, the former quarry at Pfarrwald offers a striking insight into geological history. It was established in the early 19th century. Typical rock strata from the Sauerland and the Westphalian Bay overlap there. This rare phenomenon can be explored especially well at the quarry. Pfarrwald is therefore a destination for anyone interested in geological connections.
The Fürstenberg Chapel on Fürstenberg offers a different impression of the landscape: from there, the view extends into the Ruhr Valley. The geological formations at Pfarrwald and the view from the chapel thus offer two different ways to discover Ense and its landscape.
Cycle Routes Through Ense
The Enser-Dörfer-Tour passes through landscapes and small villages, as well as along quiet forest and farm tracks. For the most part, it follows the well-signposted Südwestfalen cycle route network. The PanoramaRoute runs through Niederense, Höingen and Bremen to Herrenhaus Füchten, where it joins the RuhrtalRadweg. It also connects the MöhnetalRadweg with the RuhrtalRadweg and runs right through the municipality of Ense.
The Haarweg, the Ruhne / Waltringen wind farm and the Rasthäuschen rest stop are also connected to the state-wide cycle route network and can be reached by bicycle. The route descriptions highlight different aspects: the Enser-Dörfer-Tour focuses on landscapes, villages and types of paths; the PanoramaRoute is defined by its route through several districts and its connection to two cycle routes. Check the latest route information before setting off.
Discover more destinations: Vellinghausen, Erwitte, Lippetal, Soest, Welver, Werl, Lippstadt, Warstein.
Go to the main travel overview: Soest.
