Weisweiler Castle

The first documented mention of the Lords of Weisweiler dates back to 1176 with Winricus von Wizwilre, who is presumed to have been the first lord of the castle. After the extinction of the original knightly family at the end of the 13th century, historians believe that later Lords of Weisweiler were illegitimate descendants of the Counts of Jülich. In 1436, Rheinhard von Weisweiler sold the castle to Werner von Palant, bringing the complex and the nearby Haus Palant under single ownership. Through inheritance divisions, ownership changed hands several times, including to the families of Harff and Hatzfeld-Wildenburg. In 1769, the Duke of Jülich, Karl Theodor, acquired the castle for his illegitimate son.