Schloss Ottenfeld, Manor house in Duffesheide, Germany
Schloss Ottenfeld is a three-story brick manor house in Duffesheide with tall arched windows, slate roof, and two tower sections whose gables are decorated with round arch friezes. An agricultural building with three wings, a gatehouse, and a long tree-lined avenue connect to the main structure, creating a unified estate complex.
The estate first appeared in records in 1420 as Kurmutgut, when it was controlled by the Knight Order of the Aachen Cross. Ownership passed to the Barons von Blanckart in the 17th century, a change that shaped the property's current structure and appearance.
The name reflects the estate's past importance in the region, and visitors can sense this heritage while walking through the complex. The different buildings show how such properties once served as both economic centers and symbols of local influence.
The site is located between Würselen and Alsdorf along Bundesstrasse 57 in a flat landscape near the Broicher Bach stream. Visitors should allow time to walk around the entire property, as buildings are spread across the grounds rather than clustered together.
The estate's archive vanished in 1945 during American military occupation, taking with it crucial documents about the property's past. This loss mirrors what happened to many other European estates whose records were disrupted by wartime events.
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