Castle history

Once upon a time…

From 1750 to 1752, Franz Georg Zandt von Merl had himself built a baroque castle, which today is considered one of the most important in the entire south-west. Erected as a baroque residence in several construction periods, the palace complex in Münchweiler in northern Saarland is now in the eighth generation of the family.

Shortly after the main house was built, a tragic event in 1752 shattered the dream of life in the baroque palace when Baroness Philippina von Zandt, née von Eltz, died with a child in childbed.

In 1754, Agnes Appolonia, née Freiin von Hagen, became the first lady of the castle. The imperial family expanded the country estate into a baroque residence. Happy years were followed by upheaval with the French Revolution and the occupation. The family escapes to the other side of the Rhine under the leadership of the now widowed lady of the castle. In 1801 she returned and bought the property from the French.

After a hundred-year break, the last extensions to the north and south park wings followed in 1886 (e.g. second splendid portal).

The end of the First World War, reparations and the global economic crisis forced sales in 1932 and after the Second World War Brigitte von Hagke, née Baroness von Zandt and previously her aunt Baroness Olga von Zandt, open parts of the castle with restaurants and guest rooms.

In 1997, the eighth generation began with a thorough renovation, supported by the federal government, the state and the German Foundation for Monument Protection. This consumes ten years.

Between 1999 and 2000, parallel to the renovation, the hotel was built on the site of the southern commercial wing.

In 2007 the cafe opened in the former tea room of Baroness Olga von Zandt. Here you can enjoy homemade cakes and tarts every weekend, in summer also on the terrace in front of the castle.

In 2009 the city of Wadern set up a wedding room in one of the many baroque rooms. Since then, couples from all over the world have been married at Münchweiler Castle.