Schloss Westhusen

Schloss Westhusen stands in the Dortmund district of Westerfilde as a moated castle. Built in the early 14th century by Gerlach Specke, it passed through several noble families before becoming a senior residence in the 1980s. The entire estate is protected as a monument, with the main building listed separately. The castle’s history includes destruction during the Great Dortmund Feud in 1388 and rebuilding by successive owners. The von Vittinghoff family restored it after the Thirty Years’ War, while the von Sydow family expanded the estate in the 19th century. A 1750 rebuild by Friedrich Wilhelm von Sydow gave the house its current form, blending earlier styles with later additions. Visitors find a two-storey stone manor with yellow walls and green shutters. A polygonal tower rises from the east façade, topped with a steep roof and bearing the von Sydow and von Plettenberg coats of arms. The grounds include long service buildings now used as flats, and a small terrace with a watchtower at one corner. The moat, once fed by the Nettebach, frames the quiet estate.