Top 8 Castles around Varel

Every year on the third weekend of Advent, the cozy "Neeborg Christmas Market" takes place on the grounds around the Rauchkate. I can highly recommend a visit.

The smokehouse, or Rookkat as it is called in Low German, has been used as a local history museum since 1965 and served for many years as a smokehouse in which sausages, ham and bacon were smoked. The thatched house is almost 300 years old and was inhabited until the 1960s. The smokehouse includes a barn (Bischüür), the bakery (Backhuus) and the draw well (Soot). All buildings were moved to their current location near the castle in 1964. Until then, they stood at the northern exit of Neuenburg. The buildings, which have been preserved in their original condition, now serve as a local history museum for the Neuenburg local history association. Source: www.heimatverein-neuenburg.de

History In 1462, Count Gerd the Brave of Oldenburg laid claim to the Frisian Wehde and built Neuenburg Castle (Nige Borg) on the border with East Frisia. Towards the end of the 16th century, the fortress was converted into a prestigious residential palace. Today, the palace houses an ornithological museum, the palace chapel of the Evangelical Lutheran congregation, and the wedding hall, which also serves as the meeting room of the Zetel municipal council. In 1867, the "school districts" of Afterde and Neuenburg and part of the Schweinebrück farming community were separated from their previous connections with the communities of Zetel and Bockhorn and united to form a new community of Neuenburg. On July 1, 1972, Neuenburg was incorporated into the neighboring community of Zetel.

small town, but has its own castle, nicely landscaped park right next to the castle

Köhlmoor Castle was rebuilt in 2014 and is located next to the airfield in Felde - Westerstede. The castle received its name because the “Köhlmoor” was once located in this area. In the 17th/18th In the 19th century, two families lived here and burned high-quality charcoal from the heavy peat. The style of the house is modeled on historic Renaissance country house castles both inside and out. The outer facade - a dream of white and yellow - is decorated with shell and stucco ornaments. A large mural decorates the entrance area.

The farmers in the area brought their sausages, bacon and ham into the approximately 400-year-old smokehouse in order to preserve them by smoking them. In addition to the smokehouse (Rookkaat), the museum ensemble of the Neuenburg local history association also includes a barn (Bischüür), the bakery (Backhuus) and the drawing well (Soot). All buildings have been preserved in their original condition. They were moved from their original location at the northern exit of Neuchâtel to their current location near the castle in 1964. Equipment and everyday objects from farm life are on display, especially for the production, preparation and preservation of food.

Neuenburg Castle and the adjacent park, including the Heimathof, are definitely worth a detour.

Felde airfield with Köhlmoor Castle