The former medieval castle in Simmern was expanded into the residence of the Simmern dukes under Duke Friedrich I (1459 - 1480), but was already destroyed 200 years later in the Palatine Succession War (1689). The current New Castle was built from 1708 to 1713 and consists of a main building with two projecting wings in the neoclassical style. Originally, the complex was surrounded on both sides by a castle pond. After Napoleon gifted the castle to the city of Simmern in 1802, it was used as a court, later as a school, garrison, detention center, and service apartment.
Today, the building houses the Hunsrück Museum, the art collection of the famous painter and sculptor Friedrich Karl Ströher, the library, a banquet hall with foyer, the wedding room, and the tourist information center Simmern-Rheinböllen. The banquet hall mainly serves as an event venue and location.
