Schloss Neuhof

Schloss Neuhof stands in the Coburg district of Neu- and Neershof, its origins reaching back to the 14th century as a moated water castle. Set in a gently rolling landscape, the building once occupied a shallow hollow before later owners reshaped the grounds. The oldest surviving part is a 16th-century central block with a low hip roof, its ground floor of fieldstone and upper storeys originally half-timbered. The castle gained wider fame when Generalfeldmarschall Albrecht von Roon bought it in 1873. As Prussian war minister and later prime minister under Wilhelm I, Roon retreated here to recover from asthma and official duties. He sent his resignation letter from Neuhof, clearing the way for Bismarck’s rise. The surrounding English landscape park still contains the pond he kept for flamingos and storks, and the Roon Way links the estate to nearby Callenberg Castle. Today the house serves as a sociotherapy centre for men and women recovering from alcohol addiction. Residents live in the main building and linked flats, using the three-hectare park for gardening, woodwork and quiet corners. A small animal enclosure, herb garden and communal fire site sit beside therapy workshops in separate park buildings. The setting encourages daily work and reflection, preparing residents to move on to independent living in Coburg.