Ahaus

Ahaus's Baroque palace was built between 1688 and 1695 for Friedrich Christian von Plettenberg, prince-bishop of Münster, to designs by Ambrosius von Oelde. It replaced an earlier castle; Johann Conrad Schlaun altered the complex in the eighteenth century. After severe destruction in March 1945, the palace was reconstructed.

The restored building houses the Technische Akademie Ahaus and provides a setting for cultural events. The Schlosskonzerte have been held in its Fürstensaal since 1952, and the Ahauser Musikherbst began in 1989. Museums in the gatehouses address the history of the town and of schooling. The palace therefore preserves both the history of episcopal patronage and a continuing role in the town's concert life.