Schloss Bollheim, Baroque castle ruins in Oberelvenich, Zülpich, Germany.
Schloss Bollheim is a castle ruins in Oberelvenich, Zulpich, with preserved agricultural buildings and guard houses arranged around an outer courtyard. The complex sits near the ancient Roman road connecting Reims to Cologne and was modified several times across the centuries.
The castle was first documented in 1331 under Knight Godart von Bollheim, then passed to the von Vlatten family and eventually to the von Hompesch dynasty. During the Thirty Years War, French-allied forces occupied and damaged the premises over the winter of 1641-1642.
The grounds became a Demeter-certified organic farm in 1982 when Arnold Langen and local farmers purchased the remaining agricultural structures. This working use continues to shape how the place looks and functions today.
The site is located on Bollheimer Strasse in the 53909 postal area of Zulpich-Oberelvenich and is viewable from the road. Visiting during daylight hours works best for seeing the structures and grounds clearly.
The site was already noted in the 1620s, showing it existed well before the worst wartime damage struck. Today the calm farming use creates a stark contrast with that turbulent past.
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