The Erbdrostenhof is a baroque palace on the Salzstraße, built from 1753 to 1757 according to plans by Johann Conrad Schlaun on a corner lot on the street.

The building order came from the Erbdroste (high official) Adolph Heidenreich Freiherr Droste zu Vischering. The three-winged building and its main courtyard are often considered to be one of Schlaun's masterpieces, as he made perfect use of the relatively small plot area. Above all, however, the Erbdrostenhof stands out from its surroundings because of its construction and design.

During the Second World War the building was severely damaged, but in the following decades it was rebuilt and restored. Responsible for this was the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL), which has leased the Erbdrostenhof and uses it as a service building. Several cultural institutions of the LWL are housed there, for example the Historical Commission for Westphalia or the Westphalian Museum Office. If you are a crime thriller fan, you might know the farm from "Wilsberg" and the "Münster Tatort".

The center of the building is the banqueting hall, which extends through the entire middle building and was mainly used for receptions in Schlaun's time. Today, representative, cultural and scientific events such as classical concerts, award ceremonies and lectures take place there. You can take tours and guided tours of the foyer with other visitors.

For more information, visit the LWL website about the Erbdrostenhof (website only available in German).

​

​

Further information:

• Wikipedia article Johann Conrad Schlaun (full article only available in German)

• Wikipedia article Adolph Heidenreich Freiherr Droste zu Vischering (article only available in German)