His-Törchens Issums Heimatmuseum

Description

In the centre of the village of Issum stands the moated manor house Haus Issum, which today houses both administrative offices and a local history museum. The complex is located on the Issumer Fleuth and was built in the 16th century as a castle-like new construction after the earlier castle had been destroyed.

The complex is first mentioned in documents in 1338, after Rainald II, Count of Guelders, had acquired it from a bailiff. Over the centuries ownership and lordship changed: the castle belonged to the bailiwick of Menzelen, passed to the noble family von Alpen, was sold in 1388 to the Archbishop of Cologne and was transferred to the Counts of Moers in the 15th century. Over time various noble families came into possession; in 1551 the complex was burned down following a capture and was rebuilt in the second half of the 16th century. Further damage and plundering affected the town and the castle in the 17th century. In the 19th century the estate changed owners again, before the municipality of Issum acquired Haus Issum with a large estate in 1912.

The local history museum His-Törchen opened in 1993 and documents the history of the lordship and of the village. The exhibition is managed by a local working group and uses an exhibition space of 145 m²; one room is reserved for temporary exhibitions. Historical exhibits are complemented by works by regional artists, such as ceramics and sculptural pieces. Until the 1980s the castle served as the town hall; specifically the manor house was the administrative seat until 1980. Today the building houses the municipal council chamber, the wedding room and offices.

Architecturally the water-surrounded complex consists of a manor house and a service courtyard located to the southwest, complemented by a brick park adjoining to the south. A stone bridge leads to the two-storey gate tower with a round-arched passage and barrel vault; the tower roof bears a weathervane with the date 1338. The buildings include two short former service wings, a rectangular gate tower at the manor house that is now bricked up, and a slender round stair tower. To the south adjoins a park of about 0.6 hectares with mature trees; its roughly 80-metre-long arbour of hornbeams is regarded as a rare feature on the Lower Rhine.