Wildenburg Castle

Wildenburg Castle, locally known as Burg Wildenburg, lies southeast of the village of Reifferscheid, in the North Rhine-Westphalia region in Germany.

When Wildenburg Castle was built is unknown. In 1195 the area was ruled by the Lords of Reifferscheid.  Between 1202 and 1235 the brothers Gerhard and Philipp von Reifferscheid divided up their territory between each other and a new family branch was born; the Lords of Wildenburg. Probably that was when the castle was built.

in 1328 the Lords of Wildenburg died out and the castle went to the Counts of Jülich. The castle was then a real medieval castle, equipped with a dry moat, a drawbridge, towers and ramparts. Later the moat was filled in and the drawbridge and the ramparts disappeared.

In 1715 the castle was acquired by the abbot of Steinfeld Abbey. He had the former palas (the part of the castle that held the main hall) rebuilt into a church in 1717. In 1794 French revolutionary troops invaded the region. The castle was confiscated and became French national property. It escaped being auctioned when it was given to a newly established parish in 1803.

At present the Wildenburg Castle is private property. Its exterior is freely accessible. I don't know if its interior can be visited.

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