Schloss Neersen, Baroque château in Willich, Germany
Schloss Neersen is a castle with four corner towers and three wings, located in the Neersen district of Willich along the Niers River. The building serves today as the town hall, housing administrative offices and council chambers, while the surrounding park remains open to the public.
The castle was built as a fortress in the 14th century and later transformed into a Baroque palace after the Thirty Years' War by the Virmond-Neersen family. A fire in 1859 destroyed most of the interior, after which the building was extensively restored.
The name Neersen likely derives from the Niers river, which once flowed directly past the castle and fed its moat; it was straightened in 1930 and now runs about a kilometre away. The castle is the focal point of the Neersen district of Willich, and its grounds are used as a public park.
The park around the castle is open to the public and offers a pleasant walk around the building. Since most of the interior functions as a town hall, visitor access inside is limited, so the visit focuses mainly on the exterior and the grounds.
The Niers once flowed directly past the castle and fed its moat; after straightening in 1930, the river now runs about a kilometre away. The name Neersen is thought to derive from this former proximity to the water.
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