Wilhelmsburg Castle (Hilchenbach)

Former Nassau state castle - until 1976 seat of the district court; well-proportioned solid Baroque building with ground, upper and attic floors - plastered, smooth plaster facade with mineral paint; slate-covered (fish-scale pattern) half-hipped roof with slightly profiled main cornice, cranked at the gables: asymmetrical dormer; wooden sash windows, smooth window surrounds; color-contrasted; window division probably from the late 19th century - four-winged, eight-part, profiled transom at the 3/4 point.

A document dated July 20, 1365, already attests to the existence of a castle seat in the form of a fortified house. From 1489, this was granted as a fief to the noble Wischel von Langenau. The new owner from 1622 was Count Wilhelm von Nassau-Siegen (1592–1642). The name Wilhelmsburg, which it has borne since an extensive expansion in 1623 and which existed as a moated castle at that time, also goes back to him. Further expansion measures took place in 1683. In 1689, the castle, along with 72 of 77 houses in Hilchenbach, fell victim to a city fire and burned down. Until 1976, the Wilhelmsburg served as a court seat for several centuries. Most recently, the Hilchenbach District Court was housed here. On January 27, 1979, the Wilhelmsburg was transferred from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia to the city of Hilchenbach for a purchase price of 350,000 DM. The sale of the building was completed on November 12, 1980. The Wilhelmsburg is located at the lower end of today's Hilchenbach market square and has housed the city museum, the city library, and the city archive since 1982.