Gladbach Castle, Medieval castle in Vettweiß, Germany

Gladbach Castle is a fortified residence in Vettweiß featuring thick stone walls, defensive towers, and surrounding earthworks typical of medieval German architecture. The main building stands within a fortified perimeter that once provided protection and security to its inhabitants.

The castle originated in the Middle Ages as the seat of a local noble family who exercised authority over the surrounding area. It underwent modifications and repairs over the centuries while retaining its core function as a residence and defensive stronghold.

The name Gladbach comes from the family von Gladbach, first mentioned in 1102, who held the castle and lordship as a fief from the Counts of Jülich. The lordship passed by inheritance to Maria von Kronenburg in 1373 and later to the von Palant family, whose male line died out in Gladbach in 1725. The castle is open free of charge on the Day of the Open Monument.

The castle stands in Gladbach, part of Vettweiß in the Düren district, directly on the Neffelbach stream. It is privately owned by the Victor-Rolff-Stiftung, so the grounds are not generally open; free access is granted on Tag des offenen Denkmals (Open Monument Day). The four-winged outer bailey with its south gatehouse and the three-winged main castle are best viewed from the village side.

In 1971 the entrepreneur Victor Rolff bought the castle and had about 14,000 trees planted on its grounds; they had been moved from their original site to make way for the enlargement of the Dhünntal dam. Before his death he founded the Victor-Rolff Foundation and transferred the castle to it, which still owns the site today.