Kitzburg Castle (Walberberg)

The origins of Kitzburg Castle date back to the 13th century, when the foundations of the current manor house were laid. The walls of the artificial island contain fragments of the Roman aqueduct. From 1350 to 1549, Kitzburg served as a fief of the Archbishop of Cologne and was the seat of bailiffs who exercised jurisdiction there. One of the early lords was Bailiff Zwyffel van Bergh. In 1550/51, the castle was sold to Gerhard Anton von Wolfskehl, making it allodial property. In 1671, Prince Franz Egon Fürstenberg, Bishop of Strasbourg, acquired the estate, had it renovated and redesigned according to Italian models, naming it "Fürstenburg". From 1682, under Canon Thomas von Quentel, it regained the name Kitzburg.