Körtlinghausen Castle owes its origins, like so many country castles in Westfalen, to a heyday of aristocratic architecture in the first half of the 18th century.
The family of the builder Franz Otto Freiherr von und zu Weichs, who originally came from Bavaria, had taken possession of the estate in 1645 and thus initially had an old castle complex first mentioned in 1398.
Franz Otto von und zu Weichs began to build Körtlinghausen Castle around 1714 according to plans by the Hildesheim master builder Justus von Wehmer. His son Friedrich Ernst helped courtly hunting in the Sauerland to its heyday. Both served the House of Wittelsbach, Elector Clemens August, by making the necessary arrangements for the electoral hunts.
With the possession of Körtlinghausen, the von Weichs family now belonged to the Westphalian knighthood, which held a substantial part of the political power in Westfalen.
When Kaspar Joseph von Weichs acquired the Körtlinghausen estate from Clemens August's heiresses, the property passed to the Barons of Fürstenberg, who still own the estate today.
Today, the castle has been put to a contemporary use. After a four-year renovation and restoration phase, Schloss Körtlinghausen is rented out as an event location for festive events and conferences.