Merten Castle

A donor or founding charter is not available; the monastery was presumably built around 1160. In 1181, the Miracles Book of Siegburg mentions an Eila from the village of the holy martyr Agnes. In 1217, the monastery was first directly mentioned. This document confirms that no house inhabited by laypeople may stand within the monastery walls and that the owner of Merten Castle, Otto von Kappenstein, shall hand over buildings to the monastery in exchange for compensation.

In addition to the large monastery church of St. Agnes with its twin towers, the south and east wings from the Middle Ages are still preserved today. In 1699, the monastery burned down, which is why the Romanesque church has a Baroque interior. The south wing was only rebuilt in 1791, while the west wing fell into disrepair. The entire complex is surrounded by a wall and today houses, among other things, a retirement and nursing home.

The only noble tombstone preserved at the monastery church is that of Wilhelm von Selbach.

In 1582, Herchen Abbey, in addition to high debts due to war costs, was also afflicted by a plague that only two lay sisters survived. Subsequently, the monastery was merged with Merten Abbey, which also included its possessions.

• In 1555, the monastery mill was moved from the Sieg to the Krabach.
• In 1758, J. W. Diefenbach sold the Weierhof to the monastery.
• In 1803: Habichtshof, Bachmühle, Delborner Hof, Jägerother Hof, Bitzerhof, Hombacher Hof, Menghof, Hohner Hof, mill and monastery farm in Herchen.

• 1217: Claricia
• 1280: Jutta
• 1313-1333: Agnes
• 1342-1346: Benedikta von Roysdorp
• 1347-1348: Bela von Marcken
• 1372: Goidland
• 1385: Berta Suren
• 1389: Goidelant
• 1421: Regine van Graven
• 1436: Nysen von Oendespil
• 1436-1438: Regina von Selbach
• 1472: Lysa von Widderbach
• 1479: Reyn von Luczerod
• 1498: Anna von der Lippe, who was to support the Windesheim reform
• 1500–1506: Jutta von Plettenberg, under whom the reform congregation was carried out; Merten was thereby subordinated to Mülheim Abbey (Thal-Ehrenbreitstein).
• 1512: Margarethe von Lützgerode
• 1513: Jutta Plettenberg
• 1516-1563: Margarethe von Lützgerode
• 1567–1573: Swana von Selbach
• 1573–1584: Katharina von Selbach
• 1585–1623: Margarethe von der Hoven called Pampus
• 1623–1635: Anna von der Hoven called Pampus
• 1635–1638: Gudula Scheiffart von Merode
• 1638–1646: Agnes Scheidt von Weschpfennig
• 1646–1677: Maria Elisabeth von Graff
• 1677–1712: Anna Margaretha von der Hoven called Pampus
• 1712–1755: Anna Sibylla Vinzentia von Schoenebeck
• 1755–1784: Anna Wilhelmina von Krafft
• 1784–1790: Henriette von Gartzen
• 1790–1802: Maria Anna Barbara von Schönigh
• 1802: as the last, Eleonora Michels

On November 17, 1803, the dissolved monastery was vacated. Besides the abbess, only five nuns lived there at that time.

In 1870, the site was acquired by the Hatzfeld-Trachenberg family. In 1909, Count Felix Droste zu Vischering von Nesselrode-Reichenstein bought the monastery property and Merten Castle. After the purchase, he had the neo-Baroque orangery built. The monastery, called a castle, became a summer residence and, between the World Wars, the main residence. During World War II, the castle, which had stored, among other things, part of the archiepiscopal library and the property of Count Trips, completely burned down after artillery shelling.

On July 1, 1955, the Catholic association took over the castle, gradually expanded it, and offered initial housing to East German families and holiday accommodation to large families. In 1991, the monastery was sold into private ownership; the Board of Trustees only operates an office here now.

An annual fairy tale festival for children takes place here, and musical performances are also given.