Burg Sinzenich

Burg Sinzenich is a water castle between the villages of Sinzenich and Linzenich, both part of Zülpich in the Euskirchen district. It sits on an island in the Rotbach stream, its moat fed by the same water. The first owners were the Sinzenich family in the 13th century, followed by the Lords of Gertzen from 1374. They held the castle as a fief from the Duke and expanded it greatly under Wirich von Gertzen in the early 16th century. The last lord, Johann von Gertzen, sold the castle in 1653 to Arnold von Elverfeld after his daughter Agnes inherited it. The castle suffered severe damage from an earthquake in 1755, which caused the main house to collapse in 1769. Later owners tried to build a new manor, but it was never finished. After losing its privileges in 1794 and being removed from Prussian records in 1835, the estate was divided and sold. Fires in 1895 destroyed much of what remained, but a local factory owner rebuilt part of the old southwest wing. Today, only fragments of the three-winged outer bailey survive, with the main ruin standing east of the former moat. Visitors can still see the outline of the island and some standing walls of the outer bailey. The ruined main house stands in what was once a pond, now filled with silt. The rebuilt southwest wing of the outer bailey is the most complete structure left. The castle was recognised as a monument in 1981, preserving what little remains of its medieval past. The site offers a quiet glimpse into the region’s feudal history, with only the stonework and water-filled moat to tell its story.