Rode Castle

The first documented mention of Herzogenrath in 1104 in the Annales Rodenses of Rolduc Abbey describes the settlement as a castle settlement of the Counts of Saffenberg. Through the marriage of Mathilda von Saffenberg, the castle became part of the Duchy of Limburg as a dowry in 1136. At that time, the Wurm river formed not only an imperial border but also a diocesan border. The customs post in Herzogenrath had high revenues of over 3300 gold guilders per year, which exceeded other customs posts in the country by more than tenfold. In the run-up to the Battle of Worringen in 1288, the Brabanters repeatedly attempted to capture Burg Rode. After the end of the Duchy of Limburg and the Battle of Worringen, the castle passed into the possession of the Dukes of Brabant.