Burg Nideggen

Nideggen Castle stands above the town of Nideggen in the Eifel hills. Built in the 12th century by the counts of Jülich, it was meant to guard their lands against the archbishops of Cologne. The counts chose the site for its steep slopes and commanding view. Over the centuries the castle grew into a stronghold with a reputation for being unbreakable. Its red sandstone walls still rise above the town, a reminder of the power once held within. The castle’s history is full of dramatic events. In 1242 Count William IV locked the Archbishop of Cologne in its dungeon for nine months. Earlier, Duke Louis of Bavaria had spent time there as a prisoner. Later, in 1542, imperial artillery destroyed much of the castle during the Guelders Wars. Fires and earthquakes finished what war had started, leaving only ruins by the 18th century. Local people saved what remained and turned it into a museum in 1979. Visitors walk through the square castle garden surrounded by high walls. The outer gate leads into a courtyard that once served as a defensive space. Beyond lies the main gate, connected to the tall tower house by a curtain wall. Inside the tower are the castle chapel, a deep dungeon and rooms once used by guards. The great hall, or palas, stretches 61 metres long and once held grand feasts. Nearby, the kitchen tower and west tower show where food was stored and ladies of the court lived. A deep well, now partly filled, once supplied water to the whole fortress.