Oberes Castle (Siegen)

The origins of the Upper Castle date back to the early 13th century, with its first documented mention in 1259. Initially, the complex was jointly owned by the Archbishops of Cologne and the Counts of Nassau, before it fully passed into Nassau possession. A document from 1343 describes the then division of the castle into an archiepiscopal and a comital part. In the 15th century, the Counts of Nassau became the sole lords of the castle and the city. A lightning strike in 1503 caused a fire that destroyed large parts of the central buildings. During the reconstruction, the Gothic Hall and the Oranier Hall were created, among others. From 1607, the Upper Castle served as the residence of the House of Nassau-Siegen.