Top 8 Castles around Brecht

The House As early as 1052, a medieval defensive structure in Hamm was mentioned, which was repeatedly adapted to contemporary needs over the centuries through alterations and new constructions. It stands on the site of a much older, early medieval refuge castle, where the inhabitants of the surrounding manors could retreat in times of danger during the Migration Period. The present appearance is significantly shaped by the surrounding and defensive walls as well as a residential complex from the Gothic period. The complex has dimensions of 40 x 80 m. The oldest building, still preserved in its basic structure, can be traced back to the Romanesque period and includes, among other things, the chapel, which was converted in the Baroque style in 1700. Two round towers frame a palace from the 14th century, also dating back to the late Gothic period, which was replaced by a Renaissance building in 1586. After a long period of vacancy around the mid-19th century, a fundamental renovation with some structural changes took place from 1885-1896. The Renaissance palace, like parts of the adjacent Gothic building, fell victim to arson by German troops in 1945, who did not want to let any German cultural heritage fall into the hands of the Allies. The post-war reconstruction secured the courtyard facade of the Renaissance palace, but removed the garden side, which was heavily destroyed by the building fabric, and added a small half-timbered structure in its place. The Family The original owners of Hamm were the Counts of Hamm, who served as vogts of the Abbey of Prüm. It was a fief of the Counts of Vianden, with whom they had close family ties. For a long time, the Bidgau was also administered from here. In 1371, the property was passed on through the marriage of the last of their line, Maria von Hamm, to the von Malberg - Milburg family. The last of her name, Anna von Malberg, married Gerhard von der Horst around 1580, the builder of the Renaissance palace. About 100 years later, the property passed through the marriage of the last von der Horst to the Counts Lannoy, who, after a hall collapse in connection with a fire in 1835, in a part of the building no longer preserved today, retreated entirely to their homeland of Clerf (Clervaux/Luxemburg). After the castle stood empty and the estate fell into disrepair, a descendant of theirs, Baroness Sidonie v. Tornaco, finally received the inheritance. She married Count Friedrich v. Renesse and, with him, carried out the aforementioned fundamental renovation. Their daughter Elisabeth married Egon Graf von und zu Westerholt und Gysenberg in 1909. Their son Otto managed and lived in Hamm with his family. After his death in 1980, his son Ferdinand took over the property and the house. Since 1998, Schloss Hamm has been partially accessible to the public through tours, weddings, registry office branch, festivals and cultural events, and much more.

Unfortunately, it was closed during my visit, but it is a very beautiful and imposing fortification in the style of a moated castle.

A very beautiful complex in the style of a moated castle, with the river Nims flowing directly past it.

Rittersdorf Castle, a charming moated castle dating back to the 13th century, was first documented in 1263. Originally built as a fortified house for the Abbey of St. Maximin in Trier, it served to secure the trade routes between Trier, Bitburg, and Cologne. The imposing 26-meter-high keep, whose construction was approved by King Rudolf of Habsburg in 1290, still dominates the castle's appearance today. In the 16th century, the complex was expanded to include residential buildings with round towers. Today, the castle houses a restaurant, a small museum, and even a registry office, located in the historic Knights' Hall.

Holsthum Castle, also known as Laeis Manor, is a manor house in the municipality of Holsthum in the Eifel district of Bitburg-Prüm in Rhineland-Palatinate. It is a protected cultural monument and is included in the list of cultural monuments in Holsthum. (Wikipedia)

Nice bike tour 👍

The glassworks' manor house on the other side of the Enz was built in 1789 and is still owned by the family today. There is a wedding room here for civil weddings. A banquet hall in the former farm building can be rented for celebrations.

Old St. Hubertus is the former parish church of the community of Wolsfeld. According to legend, St. Hubertus was converted in the Wolsfeld area. This resulted in a lively pilgrimage to the Wolsfeld Chapel of St. Hubertus. The first building was probably built in the 12th century. Around 1500, the chapel was expanded due to the pilgrimage. At the visitation in 1570, the chapel was a branch of Alsdorf and had four altars and four chalices. In 1803, Wolsfeld was elevated to a parish church. In 1926, the new Hubertus Church was consecrated in Wolsfeld.