Lower Castle Rheinbreitbach

The origins of the Lower Castle date back to the second half of the 14th century, marking the ancestral seat of the Lords of Breitbach, a noble family documented since the mid-13th century. A farm in the Mühlental, which they held as a Cologne fief in 1364, is considered a predecessor to the later castle. Although the family moved their main residence to Bürresheim Castle in 1473, the castle in Rheinbreitbach remained in their possession. The complex underwent several repairs, including in 1661 after destruction by Swedish troops, and further construction measures until the 18th century. After the male line died out in 1797, the castle passed to the Counts of Renesse. After World War II, the complex increasingly fell into disrepair and was largely demolished in the late 1960s. In the 1970s, much of the surrounding wall also had to make way for road expansion. Between 2006 and 2009, the foundations were uncovered and restored to preserve them as an archaeological monument and make them accessible to the public.