Haus Erwitte

Haus Erwitte stands in the small town of Erwitte in the Arnsberg region. Built between 1701 and 1703 in the Baroque style, it replaced an earlier medieval residence first recorded in 1188. The estate passed through several noble families, including the Droste zu Schwenkhausen, who renamed themselves Droste zu Erwitte after gaining the property by marriage. Nikolaus Wurmstich from Lippstadt is thought to have designed the new building. The rectangular house has eleven window bays, with a central projection housing an impressive doorway. The building later came into the hands of the von Hörde family. In 1860 the last owner donated it to the local parish on condition that a hospital be established there. Over the next century, extensions were added to create the Marienhospital. A serious fire in 1924 destroyed much of the original structure, but it was rebuilt the following year with minor changes. Today the former manor forms part of a working hospital. Its historic façade still dominates the site, though modern wings surround it. Visitors can see the grand Baroque portal and the symmetrical arrangement of windows on the main block. The contrast between the old house and the newer hospital buildings shows how the place has evolved over centuries.