Burg Bachem, Medieval water castle in Frechen, Germany

Burg Bachem is a medieval water castle in Frechen consisting of a main structure and an outer fortified area surrounded by a water moat. A stone bridge connects the two sections and provides the main means of access to the complex.

The castle was founded around 1250 and originally had a residential tower. After its destruction in 1583 during the Truchsessian War, it was rebuilt and has maintained its basic structure ever since.

The name Bachem comes from the Franconian settlement of the area, and the castle was long the seat of the Freiherren von Fürstenberg. Since 2018 the main castle has held seven apartments, six rented and one occupied by the owner, so the building is still lived in rather than a museum.

The castle sits on wooden posts and underwent renovation in 2018, making it well-maintained today. Access is via the stone bridge, and visitors should note it remains a private residence with limited public viewing opportunities.

The residential tower's foundations, dated to 1250, were built from stone taken from an early Roman water conduit. The whole water castle stands on wooden piles, comparable to Venice. The site lies at Schloßstraße 8 in the Bachem district of Frechen.