Ulmen Castle

The exact time of Ulmen Castle construction is not recorded, but it is believed that the upper castle was built around the year 1000. Its first documented mention occurred in 1074. Towards the end of the 12th and the beginning of the 13th century, it was the residence of the knight Heinrich von Ulmen, who is known for participating in the Fourth Crusade. He brought back precious treasures from this endeavor, including the famous Limburg Staurothek, which can still be seen in Limburg Cathedral today. In 1292, the castle complex was expanded with a lower castle located directly downhill. The castle complex was also once connected to the city wall to form a coordinated defense system with it, but the exact timing of this is not ascertainable.

The subsequent period was marked by local robber baronry, which flourished in the 14th century. In 1490, Ulmen became a Kurtrier administrative district. Around 1508, the legend of Knight Phillip Haust von Ulmen emerged, who was said to have been liberated from captivity in the Holy Land by his faithful castle lady.

Between 1679 and 1689, the castle was severely damaged multiple times by fires and the troops of the Sun King, Louis XIV. It was eventually destroyed by French forces. In 1789, a restoration of the upper castle took place, only to fall into decay again in the 19th century. From 1794, Ulmen was under French rule. The castle, confiscated by Napoleon, came under Prussian ownership in 1815 and was purchased in 1822 by a Cochem citizen for use as a quarry. When Ulmen was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1831, the houses were rebuilt using stones from the castle. In 1852, the municipality of Ulmen became the owner, and the townspeople used the ruins, including hosting a sheep market.

Today

The ruins of the upper castle are owned by the municipality of Ulmen and were placed under monument protection in 1913. In 1967/68, the upper castle was restored to its current state. From the once-proud castle of a crusader, only the ring wall, remnants of the Kurtrier administrative house, an outer wall of the palas, a cistern, and a few foundation walls of other buildings remain. The remains of the lower castle have almost entirely disappeared. The upper castle is freely accessible, and events take place on its grounds regularly, including an annual medieval market every last weekend of June.

References:

• Wikipedia

Address

Antoniusstraße 3, Ulmen, Germany

Details

Founded: c. 1000
Category: Castles and fortifications in Germany
Historical period: Ottonian Dynasty (Germany)