Friedelhausen Castle (Lollar)

Friedelhausen Castle is located on the Lahn river between Marburg and Giessen, near the towns of Fronhausen and Odenhausen, in a dense forest. It is accessible via cycle paths and a sparsely paved road. Due to its dark coloring and surrounding forest, it does not immediately catch the eye, but it can be seen from the Main-Weser railway and the district road between Fronhausen and Odenhausen. In the immediate vicinity of the castle is the Friedelhausen estate, which is now managed by a socio-therapeutic community.

The oldest building is the Old Castle, today part of the estate. It was first mentioned in the 13th century as a fief of the von Rolshausen family, burgmanns of Staufenberg Castle. The current building of the Old Castle was built in 1564. Shortly after 1851, the Old Castle was sold to the von Nordeck family. The Old Castle is a two-story stone building with a side stair tower.

Friedelhausen Castle (New Castle) was built in 1851 by Dr. Adalbert Freiherr von Nordeck zur Rabenau (1817–1892). The building material for the late Gothic-style building was a type of dark basalt, known as Lungstein, which, unlike most other types of basalt, can be easily worked by stonemasons, which is why it has also been used for years in the restoration of Cologne Cathedral. The Lungstein came from the quarry in Londorf, about 10 km away, where it is still extracted. Only one of the towers is accessible, identifiable in the pictures by a flag.

The new castle, designed by the English architect John Dobson, closely follows English classical Neo-Gothic style. It is a two-story cubic building with battlements and a flat roof. The corners of the building are flanked by turrets.