Rheda Castle

The Castle dates back to the early Middle Ages and was first mentioned in 1170. In 1200 the Castle Chapel in one of the Towers was build in the romanic Style. In 1365 the Castle and its sourroundings where inherited by Otto II. of Tecklenburg who made it to one his residences. Later it came through ineritance in the psession of the Family of Bentheim-Tecklenburg who made it their Eesidnce. There where to wiongs build one in the baroque Style and one in the renaissance Style who connect the old Towers from the Middle Age. Today the Castle is the Residemce of Hereditary Prince Maximiliand and Hereditary Princess Marissa zu Bentheim-Tecklenburg. The Park of the Castle is open to the Public and he Castle can also be visited during guided Tours.

The Renaissance Building and on the left a part of
the Tower who houses the Chapel



The Library Tower





The Renaissance Wing

A look in the Court of the Castle

The Castle is located on a small Island which is sourrounded by a Water drain

Outside of this Island is the Park of the Castle






The Orangery


























The Kornmühle








2 miniatures of the Castle standing before the
Main station of the town Rheda-Wiedenbrück

Possenhofen Castle

Today Possenhofen Castle is best known as being the childhoodhome of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, née Duchess in Bavaria but it's History is much older. The Castle was build in 1536 for Jakob Rosenbusch who was Cancellor under Duke Ludwig of Bavaria. In 1600m the Castle came in the posession of the Hans Caspar von Horwarth. In the 30year long War the Castle was destroyed but rebuil by von Horwarth. After the died the Castle was bought by Elector Ferdinand Maria of Bavaria. It then changed his ownership a few times until it ended in the posession of the Counts of la Rosée. 1834 it was then acquired by Duke Maximilian in Bavaria the father of the Empress. It remained in the posession of the Ducal Family until 1940. After that it had different destination. In 1981 the Castle was bought by Prof. Franz Schilke who restored it to it's former Glory. As the Castle is owned prvat it can not be visited but one can walke around an has a good view on it.

Carl Christian and Christina - Lich 05.09.2009

On Saturday 05.09.2009 the small hessian town Lich saw a number of royal and noble Guests. It was the day Hereditary Prince Carl Christian zu Solms-Hohensolms-Lichj and Countess Christina Douglas married there in a religious Ceremony. The Couple had already married civil in December 2008 in Vienna where the both live and work. The day of their religious marriage was also the day their son Louis Clemens Jamal turned 1 year old. The groom arrived as one of the first guests together with his sister Princess Caroline, Mrs. Liljenquist. The guests which inclued among others Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Hereditary Prince Heinrich Donatus and Hereditary Princess Floria of Hesse with their children Moritz and Paulina, Fürst Alexander and Fürstin Gabriella zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, Fürst Albrecht and Fürstin Marie Louise zu Castell-Castell, Fürst Franz Alexander and Hereditary Prince Alexander of Isenburg, Hereditary Prince Carl Ferdinand and Hereditary Princess Elna-Margret zu Bentheim and Steinfurt with son Jonathan, Fürst Wolfgang-Ernst, Fürstin Leonille and Princess Felizitas-Magdalena zu Ysenburg and Büdingen, Fürst Philipp and Fürstin Leonille zu Stolberg-Wernigerode, Fürst Johann Friedrich and Fürstin Maria zu Castell-Rüdenhausen and many more who where greeted at the Church door by the grooms brothers Louis and Frederik and the brides brother Count Robin Douglas. The bride arrived together with her fahter short after 11h00 CEST. The 1 hour long Ceremony which took place in the Marienstiftskirche was lead by Pastor Sven Kiesling and Adelheid Groten, who is based in Singen am Hohentwiel and has already confirmed the bride. The witnesses where Countess Natalie Hoyos, Celina von Luttitz, the grooms sister Princess Caroline zu Solms-Hohensolms-Lich, Mrs. Liljenquist and Prince Christian-Albrecht zu Sayn-Wittengenstein-berleburg. After the Ceremony the bridal Couple left the Church to the Wedding March from Felix Mendelssohn Bartholday. Outside the Church they where greeted by friends who throw rice over then. The bridal Couple and all the guests then made their Way through the Old town of Lich to the Castle accompanied by the Muschenheimer Musikzug. In the Castle a private reception took place followed by a Ball in the evening.









on the rigth the brides mother Countess Alexandra Douglas


one of the flowergirls with his mother



the grooms brothers Prince Frederik and Prince
Louis with their cousin, Prince Lucio



Count Robin Douglas one of the brides brothers


Prince Frederik zu Solms-Hohensolms-Lich and
Count Robin Douglas have a look in the guestlist




Arrival of the groom

he was accompanied by his sister


Princess Caroline zu Solms-
Hohensolms-Lich, Mrs. Liljenquist




Count Philipp zu Solms-Rödelheim and Assenheim


former german President Roman Herzog
with his wife Alexandra von Berlichingen
(a relative of the bride) and her son Götz

Fürst Franz Alexander of Isenburg

most likely the grooms uncle Prince Wilhelm zu
Solms-HohensolmsLich wih his wife Milicent

Princess Elisabeth zu Ysenburg and Büdingen,
née Princess of Schleswig-Hoslötein with her son Johann-Georg

Prince Carl-Albrecht zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-
Berleburg with girlfriend

Prince Ludwig-Ferdinand and Princess
Yvonne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

Princess Theodora zu Sayn-
Wittgenstein-Berleburg

Hereditary Prince Alexander
of Isenburg

the grooms uncle and FDP-Poilitican
Prince Hermann Otto zu Solms-Hohensolms-
Lich followed by 2 of his daughters

Princess Christiane zu Solms.
Hohensolms-Lich

Count Christoph and Countess
Bergit Douglas

Hereditary Prince Carl-Ferdinand and
Hereditary Princess Elna-Margret zu Bentheim
and Steinfurt with their son Jonathan

the brides brothers Count Benedikt and
Count Christoph (with glasses) Douglas

the grooms parents Fürst Philipp-Reinhard
and Fürstin Marie zu Solms-Hohensolms-Lich

Prince Ludwig-Ferdinand zu Ysenburg
and Büdingen with girlfriend

Fürstin Leonille, Princess Felizitas-
Magdalena and Fürst Wolfgang Ernst of
Ysenburg and Büdingen

Prince Heinrich VIII. and
Princess Dorit Reuß

Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Prince
Heinrich VIII. and Princess Dorit Reuß

Count Georg zu Solms-Laubach

Prince Metfried and Princess
Felizitas zu Wied

Prince Stephan and Princess
Maria zur Lippe

Fürst Albrecht zu Castell-Castell
behind Countess Madeleine zu Solms-Laubach

Fürstin Marie Louise
zu Castell-Castell

Count Gustav zu Solms-Laubach

Fürst Alexander and Fürstin
Gabriella zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn

Count Karl zu Solms-Laubach

Prince Maximilian zu Ysenburg
and Büdingen with his children Tassilo
and Madeleine

Count Clemens Hoyos



































Fürst Philipp-Reinhard zu Solms-Hohensolms-
Lich and Countess Alexandra Douglas



Fürstin Marie zu Solms-Hohensolms
and Count Patrick Douglas






Count Robin Douglas


Prince Louis zu Solms-
Hohensolms-Lich



Hereditary Prince Carl-Ferdinand and
Hereditary Princess Elna-Margret zu Bentheim
and Steinfurt with their son Jonathan



Count Christoph and Countess
Johanna Douglas


Countess Madeleine zu
Solms-Laubach



most likely Prince Wilhelm and Princess
Milicent Solms-Hohensolms-Lich


Princess Benedikte of Denmark



Count Christoph and Countess
Bergit Douglas



Count Christoph Douglas



Fürst Johann Friedrich and Fürstin
Maria zu Castell-Rüdenhausen



Count Gustav zu Solms-Laubach
Princess Elisabeth zu Ysenburg and Büdingen



former President Romand Herzog



Alexandra von Berlichingen




Fürst Albrecht and Fürstin Marie
Louise zu Castell-Castell



Hereditary Prince Heinrich Donatus
of Hessse with son Moritz



Fürst Franz Alexamder of Isenburg



Fürst Philipp zu Stolberg-Wernigerode



Fürstin Gabriela zu
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn



Fürst Alexander and Fürstin Gabriela
zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn