Groß-Vernich Castle

The name Vernich originates from the noble lords of Vernich, a collateral line of the House of Tomburg. Initially, there was an older castle of the family south of Groß-Vernich, first mentioned in 1342 when it was transferred to the Count of Jülich. In the mid-14th century, Johann Brent von Vernich built a new castle. This was besieged by the people of Cologne in 1370 because Johann's son Reinhard was known as a robber knight. Under his son Goswin, also a robber knight, the castle suffered severe damage in 1460 that he had to rebuild it and make peace with Cologne. After the extinction of the Vernich family, the old castle fell into disrepair, and the manorial rights passed to the castles of Groß-Vernich and Klein-Vernich. In 1541, Daem von Orsbeck became the new feudal lord, whose descendants held high offices in the Duchy of Jülich. Johann Hugo von Orsbeck zu Vernich, born at the castle in 1634, later became Elector and Archbishop of Trier.