Haus Thüle

Haus Thüle stands on a small island surrounded by moats in the village of Thüle, near Salzkotten. The present building dates from the early 18th century, replacing an earlier medieval castle whose exact position is still uncertain. A timber-framed gatehouse, two barns and the plain manor house form the group, all enclosed by water-filled ditches. The manor house has a mansard roof clad partly in slate and a small 19th-century neo-Gothic chapel on one side. The gatehouse is topped by a small roof turret bearing a weather vane dated 1712. The whole complex reflects the modest style of a country seat rather than a grand palace. Visitors walk across a bridge over the moat to reach the gatehouse. Inside the courtyard the manor house and chapel can be viewed, while the two barns stand to the rear. The island setting and simple architecture give the place a quiet, rural atmosphere.