Lauvenburg, Water castle in Nemmenich district of Zülpich, Germany
Lauvenburg is a water castle on a square island surrounded by moats, fed by the Rotbach stream through the Mühlengraben water system. The red brick structure with a manor house and crenellated walls sits on its own plot, accessible only through a stone bridge with an arched gateway.
The first mention of the place dates back to 1356, when Henz von Loewenberg lived there and it served as a guest residence for the Duke of Jülich. The character it has today as a water castle with its present walls developed over centuries through gradual expansions and changes.
The castle displays a mix of different periods, most visible in its red brick walls and crenellated outer walls. The layout with its manor house feels like a place that has been lived in and cared for over many generations.
Access is through a stone arch that forms the gateway to the castle courtyard and allows crossing over the water moat. The grounds are visible from outside, but specific visiting access depends on the current rules set by the private owner.
The castle has been in the hands of the same family since 1860, when farmer Bergerhausen bought it and his heirs have owned it ever since. This unbroken continuity across more than 150 years makes it one of the few castles in the region that has never changed hands.
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