Schloss Schönfeld

Schloss Schönfeld stands in the Kassel district of Wehlheiden on a rise called the Lengberg. The 18th-century building began as a summer residence for Nikolaus Heinrich von Schönfeld in 1777. Over the centuries it passed through many hands—landgraves, Prussians, the city of Kassel and private owners—before becoming the property of the Schloss Schönfeld association. The surrounding park still bears the family’s name. A bronze sculpture of Goethe’s Hermann and Dorothea by Johann Werner Henschel stands in front of the entrance. The house became famous in the early 19th century when Carl Jordans married Lulu Brentano and turned it into a meeting place for the Romantic poets. Clemens Brentano, Achim von Arnim, Ernst von der Malsburg and the Brothers Grimm gathered here. Later, King Jérôme Bonaparte of the Kingdom of Westphalia enlarged the building under Leo von Klenze and held lavish parties. Princess Auguste of Hesse-Kassel used the palace for her own circle of Romantic supporters after 1821. The Second World War damaged the west wing, and postwar repairs were slow. Today visitors find a restored palace with a restaurant and club rooms inside. The park is open to the public and contains garden architecture by Karl Justus Engels. A music stage and former shooting gallery recall earlier uses. The grounds also host occasional cultural events. From the terrace the view stretches across the park towards Wilhelmshöhe. The building’s layered history is visible in its different architectural styles.