Gondorf Castle

The origins of the site likely date back to the 5th or 6th century, as its natural location on a promontory between the Moselle and the former Nothbach offered protection. The current complex, consisting of an outer bailey and a core castle, was built in the 14th century. Around 1560, the Elector of Trier, Johann VI. von der Leyen, was the builder. The castle fell into disrepair as various branches of the family established residences in other regions. In the early 19th century, Imperial Count Philipp von der Leyen, who had become Prince of Hohengeroldseck, initiated a partial restoration of the ancestral seat. After the Prince's death, his son Erwein I. sold parts of the complex, lands, and the winery, partly to the municipality of Gondorf. The construction of the Moselle railway line in 1876 cut through the castle complex and led to the demolition of a church. In 1971, Federal Highway 416 was routed through the castle, requiring ground-floor sections to be opened and rebuilt.