Niederlimburg Castle is a classic baroque palace built by the Counts of Limburg-Broich from 1689 to 1715 at the edge of their lands near Ergste, overlooking the Ruhr. It lies in a 165 hectare large property with a large park. Until the construction of Nordkirchen Castle near Hamm, it was considered the closest to a ‘Versailles of Westphalia’, and almost ruined the Courts of Limburg-Broich.
While the government of the Grafschaft Limburg remained in Hohenlimburg, after completion, the Counts of Limburg-Broich moved to Niederlimburg Castle.
In modern times, Niederlimburg Castle remains the property of the zu Limburg-Broich, especially Countess Ilse von Limburg-Broich.
Fetish Verein Niederlimburg
While Niederlimburg Castle has remained a proper palace since its construction, Countess Ilse von Limburg was the last scion of his old noble family and retained large areas of land in the former Grafschaft Limburg, which are largely leased out.
Countess Ilse very early decided that she would move into a pure fetish lifestyle, soon after the untimely and early death of her parents to a car accident, and to turn Niederlimburg into a palace dedicated to latex, BDSM and other related fetishes. To this end, she created the Fetish Verein Niederlimburg (Fetish Association Niederlimburg), which would have its home in Niederlimburg Castle and be an invitation only association, where members could invite new members.
To become the home to the Fetish Verein, nearly eighty percent of the 9250 square meter castle (over three stories), were converted into a large fetish landscape, though it did massively include the old baroque decor. This includes several dungeon type areas, a nearly 500 square meter large club area inside an old ball room, a restaurant and two bars. It also includes twenty 100 square meter and fifty 50 square meter apartments (old servants and other quarters) that can be rented by members of the association, for as short as several hours to being permanent living quarters.
From its creation in 1998 to now (2022), the Fetish Verein Niederlimburg has grown to one thousand six hundred members, of which most regularly attends the various activities in Niederlimburg Castle, and at least two hundred members are at the Castle at least four times a week.
To this end there are one hundred fifty two people employed by Niederlimburg in various roles, of which the publically visible employees are all required to wear specific rubber uniforms. Initially female employees are required to wear simple maid uniforms, but since 2010, are required to wear and be trained as Rubber Kigu Maids, whereas male employees are required to wear latex version of the classic butler suit.