Burg Schönrath: A Medieval Fortified Residence in Lohmar, Germany
Visitor Information
Google Rating: 4
Popularity: Very Low
Country: Germany
Civilization: Unclassified
Site type: Military
Remains: Castle
History
Burg Schönrath is situated in the municipality of Lohmar, Germany. It was established as a fortified residence during the medieval period by regional knights.
The earliest recorded mention of Burg Schönrath dates back to the 13th century, when it served as the seat of the lords of Schönrode. Over subsequent centuries, the castle passed through the hands of several noble families, including the von Landsberg, von Nesselrode, and von Quadt lineages. Beginning in the 15th century, ownership came under the von Plettenberg family. Following the death of Wilhelm von Plettenberg, the property was divided among his daughters. In 1563, Diederich von Heyden acquired full control by purchasing the shares held by his sisters-in-law, thereby securing possession within the von Heyden family for about a century.
In 1695, the von Heyden heirs sold Burg Schönrath and its surrounding estates to Freiherr Ernst von Erlenkamp for 30,000 Reichstaler, a substantial sum at the time. Contemporary records from this transaction provide detailed descriptions of the estate’s productive agricultural activities and livestock, illustrating the manor’s role in the local economy.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the estate’s prominence diminished as parcels of the surrounding farmland were sold to affluent non-noble buyers. Population data from 1829 to 1872 reveal fluctuations in the number of inhabitants living on the farmstead associated with Schönrath. By the 19th century, the principal castle had fallen out of residential use, although its octagonal chapel remained active for worship until approximately 1835. Over time, the castle structure was dismantled gradually and, ultimately, was demolished using controlled explosions in January 1928. The stone material salvaged from demolition found new purpose in local road construction projects.
While the main fortress no longer stands, the fore-castle—also known as the Vorburg—persisted as an agricultural site and remains in private hands. This part of the complex continues to function as a place of residence and farming activities to this day.
Remains
Burg Schönrath originally featured a three-story main castle built during the 15th and 16th centuries on top of older medieval foundations. The fortress was arranged in an L-shaped, or Winkelburg, configuration, designed to optimize defense and residence. Access to this main structure was provided from the west by a masonry bridge spanning a water-filled moat, which surrounded the complex. This moat has mostly filled in over the centuries, although a pond survives as a remnant of the original defensive water system.
Attached to the main castle was an octagonal chapel, a distinctive feature of the site that reflects both the religious and domestic functions of the castle. Historical illustrations from 1937 depict the chapel alongside parts of the main castle, confirming that these features were still recognizable in the early 20th century.
Adjacent to the main complex stood the fore-castle, or Vorburg, consisting primarily of a two-story residential building supported by stables and various outbuildings. Unlike the main castle, this portion of the estate has remained in continuous agricultural use since its construction and persists as a privately owned, inhabited property.
Today, only small sections of the main castle’s walls endure, heavily overgrown and reduced to fragmentary ruins. Near the entrance to the fore-castle, a yew tree estimated to be around 300 years old stands with a broad, multi-stemmed crown, marking the continuity of the site’s landscape through the centuries.
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