The castle of Ahrensburg with its four prominent corner towers and the mout was built around 1585 as a triple house in Renaissance style by order of Count Peter Rantzau. Until 1759 the Rantzau family lived here. Then, the Danish treasurer and later liege lord Heinrich Carl Schimmelmann bought the castle. He had some structural changes made which complied with the tastes of Rococo and Early Classicism.
The Schimmelmann family lived in the castle until 1932. Since 1955 it is open to the public.
Today Ahrensburg Castle is a unique testimony of noble culture in Schleswig-Holstein. It shows luxurious interiors with valuable panellings, parquet floors, stuccoed ceilings, exquisite furniture, paintings and Meissen china.


thematic focus: Arts and crafts,  National history

Adults 4,- €, reduced charge 2,- €,
Children under 12 years 1,50 €; family ticket 8,- €

Guided tours in German, English and French by appointment
guided tours on special topics
children's programm with detective game, children's birthday party (the count's birthday dinner), readings of fairy tales, special holiday offers
free audio guide

events and concerts in the castle and in the park
birthday celebrations in the vaulted cellar: The vaulted cellar from the 16th century can be rented for festivities. The unique charm of the venerable premises will create a special atmosphere for every kind of event.
civil marriages
wedding celebrations
On sale in the museum: souvenirs of the castle, post cards, posters, printed guide of the castle, card games, books and guidebooks, games and toys for children
more restaurants are to be found nearby

Museum leaflet
Museum guidebook

Since December 2002: Ahrensburg Castle Foundation
The foundation has the purpose to preserve, to run, to maintain and to appropriately extend the listed castle of Ahrensburg with its fittings, land and historical ambience as a museum and cultural monument of national importance.
Additionally, the foundation aims at broadening knowledge on the castle by research, documentation and publication. The castle and its premises are open to the public as a museum as well as for cultural events.Supportive association: Freundeskreis Schloß Ahrensburg e. V., Lübecker Straße 1, 22926 Ahrensburg

Motorway A 1 from the south, exit Ahrensburg in the direction of the town center, continue on the federal road B 75 in the direction of Bargteheide/Lübeck

Motorway A 1 from the north, exit ‚Ahrensburg Nord’, continue in the direction of Bargteheide, then take the B 75 in the direction of Ahrensburg/Hamburg

From the direction of Hamburg or Lübeck take the federal road B 75 until you reach the castle

Parking facilities at the castle and behind the stables

Coming by train you will reach the castle after a 15-minutes-walk from the station through the town centre.

bus routes 569 and 769 stop at the castle