Burg Schönrath, Medieval castle in Lohmar, Germany

Burg Schönrath is a former moated castle of which only small, overgrown wall remnants of the main castle survive; the site is private and cannot be visited. The main castle was built in the 15th–16th century on medieval foundations, with an octagonal chapel and a masonry bridge from the west. The 18th-century Vorburg, a two-story house with stables and outbuildings, is still inhabited, and the former moat has silted up except for one pond.

The castle is first documented in the 13th century and was owned by the Lords of Schönrode before passing to several noble families. Between the 13th and 18th centuries it served as an important seat for different aristocratic houses such as von Landsberg and von Nesselrode.

The castle displays features of Niederungsburg architecture with its characteristic water defenses, typical of medieval fortifications in this region. Such structures shaped the landscape and served as symbols of power for local noble families.

The site is private and cannot be visited; it can only be seen from the nearby road. The main castle survives as overgrown wall remnants, and the former moat has silted up except for one pond. The farmyard of the outer bailey, with its two-story house, stables and outbuildings, is still lived in, so keep to the road.

In 1928 large parts of the main castle were demolished and materials were reused for road construction, significantly altering the site. Today the ruins remind us of this drastic transformation and show how monuments can be reshaped by practical needs over time.