Hallenburg Castle

The origins of Hallenburg date back to the 13th century, when a Jülich ministerial family bore the name Disternich and was first documented in 1217. In 1288, Engelbert von Disternich made his castle available to Count Walram of Jülich as an open house. In the 14th century, the Rost von Disternich were the sole owners, before the complex passed to the von Bongart family through purchase. After the death of Daem von Bongart, his sister Katharina inherited the property and brought it into her marriage with Adolf von Efferen, known as Hall. His family, who erected the current core building in the 16th century, gave the castle its name. In the 17th century, Hallenburg came into co-ownership of the von Colyn family through marriage. In 1670, Gerhard von Efferen and Johann Georg von Colyn sold the castle to Heinrich von Groote, although ownership claims of the original families remained. Later, the Cologne collegiate church of St. Maria im Kapitol acquired the property and enfeoffed various noble families with it.