Neuerburg Castle

The first confirmed documentary mention of Neuerburg Castle dates back to 1132, when a Theoderich zu Neuerburg appeared as a witness in a deed of donation. By 1270, it was already referred to by the Count of Vianden as an old fief, which he had received from the Count of Luxembourg. An earlier mention of a “newly built castle” from 892, where monks from Prüm are said to have fled, could refer to Neuerburg, but cannot be definitively assigned. The strategic importance of the castle led to the town at its foot receiving city rights in 1332. In the same year, Frederick III, the last lord of Neuerburg, died, after which the lordship changed hands several times. Between 1513 and 1540, Dietrich IV, Count of Manderscheid-Blankenheim, had extensive fortifications built, including bastions with wall thicknesses of up to 5.5 meters. The transition from round to polygonal bastions within this construction phase is noteworthy.