Schöneck Castle

Around 1200, the imperial ministerialis Konrad von Boppard had the complex constructed as an imperial castle. His descendants, who subsequently called themselves Knights of Schöneck, inhabited the joint inheritance castle until their lineage died out in 1508. From here, the Gallscheid court was also administered. During the Eltz Feud from 1331 to 1336, the castle was part of an alliance against the Trier Archbishop Balduin of Luxembourg. In 1354, Schöneck became a fief of Kurtrier. After an occupation by Palatinate troops in the Beilstein War of 1488, it briefly returned to Kurtrier. From 1508 onwards, the complex changed hands multiple times but always remained a Trier fief. Between 1560 and 1646, Schöneck was held in pawn by a collateral line of the Lords of Eltz. Later, from 1646 to about 1677, it belonged to the Soetern Fideicommiss, a foundation of the von Sötern family.