Dyck Castle

Jüchen, Germany

Schloss Dyck is a moated castle in the Rhineland region of Germany. The history of the castle began in 1094 when the knight Hermannus de Disco was mentioned in a record of the Archbishop of Cologne as the lord of a simple fortification. Over time the site was converted into a fortified moated castle.

In 1383 the castle was besieged by the cities of Aachen and Cologne, as well as by the archbishop Friedrich III von Saarwerden and Duke William I of Guelders and Jülich. They accused Lord Gerard van Dyck of being a robber knight. When Gerard van Dyck died without male offspring, the castle was inherited by Johann V von Reifferscheidt, the ancestor of the counts and princes of Salm-Reifferscheid. This family owned the castle for more than 900 years until it became the Centre for Garden Art and Landscape Design in 1999. The last heiress of the family, Countess Marie Christine Wolff Metternich, turned it over to a foundation to secure the future of the castle.

The castle is the center of Salm-Reifferscheid-Dyck, a former independent territory located between the Electorate of Cologne, Guelders and Jülich. The small territory was called 'Dycker Ländchen' and is still recognizable for its unique cultural landscape.

The main building, the forecourts, and the outbuilding and the stables are spread over four islands. In the 17th century the castle was turned into an early baroque residence. Count Salentin of Salm-Reifferscheid extended the main building into a four-wing complex; stables, watch rooms, and the brewery were renewed. In the 18th century, Schloss Dyck became a Rococo residence, with fine tapestries and exquisite furniture. Unfortunately not everything has been saved: the famous library was sold at an auction in 1992, as was the armory and weapons collection.

The complex is surrounded by an English landscape garden created by prince Joseph zu Salm-Reifferscheidt-Dyck. The castle and the park are open for visitors. The complex also includes a hotel that hosts many venues and meetings.

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Schloß Dyck, Jüchen, Germany
See all sites in Jüchen

Details

Founded: 11th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Germany
Historical period: Salian Dynasty (Germany)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Lukas Göbel (2 years ago)
A wonderful place. Especially beautiful in autumn and spring. Large park and garden - perfect to slow down and take a deep breath. Free admission with Düsseldorfer Art:Card.
MDT (2 years ago)
Amazing hotel located within a deal German palace (“Schloss”). Stunning gardens (which you can visit even when they are closed to the public and you have them all for yourself), with great playgrounds for the kids. The rooms are large, with huge bathrooms and Ritual amenities. Breakfast is on demand, but sufficient. This is a fabulous place to spend some nights.
Paul Vanlook (2 years ago)
Beautiful place if you like gardens, trees and historical buildings. Put on your walking shoes, its a long walk to see it all.
Stefan Schopf (2 years ago)
Well organized event. Not at the same level as Goodwood but nice cars, nice people and acceptable location. A shame that people don’t accept the dress code but that’s Germany. Race track not existing but still a chance to see great race cars driving.
Hans Schlupp (2 years ago)
As kids we used to jump into the moat in Summertime or roam the fields around the grounds, memory lane. Nowadays it is part of the gardens and apple orchards with a good restaurant and a little market for local goods and produce.
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