Rotary St@dttour Bad Münder

Steinhof (Stone Manor)

Today the Steinhof (Stone Manor) accommodates the municipality of Bad Münder. The building probably dates back to the end of the 14th century. It used to be an integral part of the Münder defense facilities as it was located directly next to the town wall. This wall had a length of 1.030 m and was surrounded by a moat which was 3,60 m deep and 14 m wide. In the medival ages, these defense facilities should give protection to the 400 to 500 inhabitants of Münder. Parts of the town wall can still be seen close to the Steinhof.

In 1583 the Büsing family took over the Steinhof as a fief. On top of its ancient stone walls the building was reconstructed as a simple timber frame which was added in 1721. Other remarkable building elements are its dog-legged stair and its pediment with its heraldic figure. Above the entrance door you can read the names of the owners and 1721 as its reconstruction year.

After Tilemann Büsing has married his wealthy wife Margarete Achtermeier, they constructed another adjacent building in 1596, which accommodates today the Sparkasse Weserbergland. This building is a typical example for a renaissance style manor within the Weser river region. In subsequent years the decendants got in trouble with each other and as a consequence, they built a huge wall (4m height) between the two manors. This wall remained until it was torn down in1960 when the Steinhof was renovated.

Behind the Steinhof you will find a 150 year old beach tree. This particular beach tree is special within the Deister region as it is gene mutation of red beach trees that is very rare and only can be found in the Bad Münder region.