Ense: History, Cycling Routes and Geology

Ense brings together places with different points of interest: at Haus Füchten, Baroque architecture meets a history dating back to the Middle Ages; Bremen and Niederense are home to further historic landmarks. Cycling routes run through the districts and countryside, while the former quarry at Pfarrwald offers geological insights.

Haus Füchten: Building History in Several Layers

A castle on the site of Haus Füchten was first mentioned in 1298, when the fief was granted to the knight Goswin von Soest. Around 1700, Caspar Diedrich von Droste zu Erwitte had the castle demolished and a palace built on the hillside. The site’s history thus includes both the castle’s early mention as a fief and its later replacement by a palace.

A Baroque bridge dating from 1698 leads to the main building. On the first upper floor, the large hall is decorated with figural and ornamental stucco work. Together, these features draw attention both to a dated architectural element and to the design of the grand hall.

Churches and Traces of Former Sites

In the center of the district of Bremen stands the small, two-bay Basilica of St. Lambertus, built toward the end of the 12th century. Its construction dates from considerably earlier than the palace at Haus Füchten, built around 1700.

The grounds of the former Cistercian convent of Himmelpforten lie southeast of Niederense. Fragments of the foundations remain there; a white cross marks the site of the former abbey church. The grounds can be explored on foot or by bicycle.

Cycling Routes Through Ense

The Panorama Route runs through the Ense districts of Niederense, Höingen and Bremen to Herrenhaus Füchten in the eastern part of the municipality. There, it joins the Ruhr Valley Cycle Route and connects it with the Möhne Valley Cycle Route. The route runs right through the municipality of Ense.

The Enser Villages Tour offers a different experience: it passes through countryside and small villages, as well as along quiet forest and farm tracks, and follows the well-signposted South Westphalia cycle route network for most of its length. While connections to other cycling routes are a highlight of the Panorama Route, the Enser Villages Tour focuses on the landscape and character of the trails.

The Haarweg, the Ruhne / Waltringen wind farm and the Rasthäuschen are also connected to the regional cycle route network and can be reached by bicycle. Check current route information before setting off, as details and network connections may change.

Geological History and Views

The former quarry at Pfarrwald dates from the early 19th century and offers insight into geological history at the foot of the Haar ridge. Typical rock strata of the Sauerland and the Westphalian Bay overlap there; this rare phenomenon can be explored on site. By contrast, the Fürstenberg Chapel on Fürstenberg offers a view of the Ruhr Valley. The quarry draws attention to geological strata, while the chapel looks out over the valley.

Discover more destinations: Rüthen, Anröchte, Bad Sassendorf, Vellinghausen, Wickede, Soest, Werl, Lippetal.

Back to the main travel overview: Soest.