Nideggen Castle [Castles+Palaces]

The original Nideggen Castle was built in the 12th century as the residence of the Counts of Jülich. After the keep was completed as the first building of the castle between 1177 and 1190, the main gate, the defensive wall, the well, and the two-story palas followed.

During this time, Nideggen Castle, which was located in a strategically important border area between Monschau and Cologne, had the reputation of being impregnable in the Middle Ages. Not least due to this exposed geographical location, the castle was constantly at the center of political disputes. Thus, the castle was continuously expanded and received one of the largest hall buildings in the Rhineland in the 14th century, the feudal knight's hall. However, during the Gelderian Succession War, the castle suffered its first destruction in 1542 by Emperor Charles V. Even after that, the castle fell victim to further attacks and an earthquake – and so the formerly stately castle slowly and steadily fell into disrepair. It was not until the early 20th century, in 1902, that rebuilding began and the castle was used as a local museum. In the Second World War, however, Nideggen Castle was once again heavily damaged and only used as a museum again after its reconstruction in the 1950s. *

Text adopted from the web "The History of Nideggen Castle"

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