Burgruine Schloßthal

The ruins of Dollendorf Castle stand in Schloßthal, a village within the Blankenheim municipality in the Eifel hills. The site lies inside the Lampertstal and Alendorfer Kalktriften nature reserve, where the Fuhrbach and Mackental streams flow. The castle once belonged to the Dollendorf nobles first recorded in 893, who lived there until the mid-15th century.

The fortress appears in writing for the first time in 1077. By the 12th century it had become a fief of the Archbishopric of Cologne, later passing under the overlordship of the Counts of Luxembourg and the Counts of Jülich. Its tall silhouette earned it the nickname ‘Finger of God’. Excavations have partly rebuilt and secured the original ground plan and surviving walls.

Visitors today find a quiet hilltop with information panels describing the castle’s history and architecture. From the ruins the view stretches as far as Aremberg, Nürburg and the Hohe Acht. Locals gather here each New Year, and the courtyard is used as a fire site. About 380 metres southeast and 70 metres lower, near the Ahr river, lie the remains of Neuweiler Castle.