Schloss Wissen, the ancestral home of the family von Loë is one of the most well-known noble seats on the Lower Rhine. The extensive castle complex looks back on a century old history which began in the 12th-13th century with the erection of a defence tower (presently the south wing of the main building). During the course of the centuries, a three-winged outer bailey was added to the main building and continuously adapted to the tastes of the respective times.
Schloss Wissen owes its current form to a comprehensive restoration executed from 1969 to 1973. Some of the generously and elaborately restored venues such as the White Salon and the Large Dining Room can, today, be utilised for conferences, as well as for weddings, company celebrations, family ceremonies or team events. The Historic Watermill is located in front of the gates of the castle. The Watermill disposes of two seminar rooms which can, if necessary, be combined to form one large conference venue / ballroom for up to 80 persons. The view of the surrounding green landscape and of the outer bailey imparts the Historic Watermill with additional charm.
Some of the buildings of the servants’ quarters, which also form part of the castle complex, were transformed into guesthouses with lovingly decorated rooms and apartments.
References:The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.
The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.
The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.