Renthof Kassel since 1298 | History & Tradition

HISTORY (AND STORIES) SINCE 1298

Since its reopening in June 2017, the historic Renthof Kassel has housed a modern boutique hotel with exclusive gastronomy, a bar, and several individual event locations. For this contemporary use, the building, originally constructed in 1298 as a Carmelite monastery, was completely renovated in a manner befitting its monument status, carefully preserving the architecture and history of the house. Today, the building offers a unique atmosphere, characterized by the interplay of historical fundamental elements and the modern interior design, which was individually and carefully selected by the owners themselves for each area of the building.

1298

THE MONASTERY: In the mid-12th century, disillusioned crusaders founded a community in the Carmel Mountains in Palestine, following the tradition of desert hermits. However, the advance of the Saracens forced the young Carmelite order into a long flight back to Europe. In 1262, they were called to settle in Kassel by Landgrave Heinrich I, bought a house from the Jewish woman Rachel, and from 1298 onwards built the Brüderkirche (Brothers' Church) with a monastery – today's Renthof… the location for our hotel

1595

THE COURT SCHOOL: The Reformation forced the dissolution of the Carmelite monastery in 1526. Landgrave Moritz the Learned – art lover, composer, alchemist, and architect – had the monastery converted into a court school and vocational school. The young and now world-renowned composer Heinrich Schütz also received his education here.Image: Original handwritten timetable from around 1595

1617

THE KNIGHTS' ACADEMY: The court school was converted into a Knights' Academy.Image: Historical report on the Knights' Academy in a magazine from 1918

1633

THE UNIVERSITY: In the midst of the Thirty Years' War, the University of Marburg/Kassel was ceremoniously opened in the northwest wing.

1670

THE COURT & THE AUTHORITIES: Since the second half of the 17th century, the building complex, henceforth called Renthof, accommodated several Hessian supreme authorities and courts as an extension of the adjacent chancellery building on the Fulda. Image: Cadastral Office photograph from 1898 – the current entrance of the hotel

1943

A HOME FOR SENIORS: Allied air forces dropped approximately 400,000 incendiary bombs on Kassel within an hour and a half. They destroyed about 80 percent of the buildings, including almost the entire old town. About 10,000 people died. The Renthof, which was "only" partially destroyed, was established by the "Verein für Volkswohl" (Association for Public Welfare) as a home for seniors and existed until 2012.

1995

THE BRÜDERKIRCHE: In 1995, the "Stiftung Alte Brüderkirche" (Old Brothers' Church Foundation) renovated the early Gothic church after it was abandoned by the community in 1970 and increasingly fell into disrepair. It now serves as a special event venue, managed by Rainer Holzhauer and Grischäfer.