Laufenburg Castle

The Laufenburg is a hilltop castle near Langerwehe in the district of Düren in North Rhine-Westphalia. It is located on a 217-meter above sea level hill, surrounded by the Sührbach stream, in the private forest of the Prym family between the Langerwehe districts of Heistern and Merode. To its east, the Erbswald and Meroder Wald, formerly part of the County of Merode, immediately adjoin it. It is accessible by car from the Heistern side.

The castle was founded in the 12th century by the Limburgers as a knight's castle to secure their territory. The village of zur Wehe, later called Langerwehe, belonged to the castle. In 1359, the area fell to Jülich, and the castle lost its military significance. The estate included arable land, meadows, and forest. Subsequently, the noble owners changed until the last lady was married in 1841 by the banker Eduard Rossbach. In 1881, the castle was sold to the Düren industrialist family Hoesch, and in 1913 to the Stolberg manufacturer Prym.

The 38x24 meter castle complex, built of quarry stone masonry, is owned by the Prym family and is leased as a manor house and restaurant.