Top 20 Castles around Roetgen

The small squares and alleys of the old town are picturesque.

The castle and the surrounding small streets are really worth seeing and a must when visiting Stolberg.

Small winding alleys with houses made of local limestone and carved bluestone on doors, windows, and wall edges greet you on a walk through the old town of Stolberg. While strolling, you can take your time to admire the traditional house facades and notice that, despite the long development history of the old town and its industrial character, a homogeneous appearance has emerged. You walk through Burgstraße, Schartstraße, Klatterstraße, and Enkerestraße, which were the main streets until the end of the 19th century. Arriving at Klatterstraße, you stand before the oldest preserved half-timbered house from 1529. Next to it is the house numbered 12 from the 18th century, which used to be a brewery. In its cellars, there was a water channel (moat) from the fortification that cooled the beer. Your walk finally ends at the castle rock, showing you Stolberg's landmark, the defiant medieval castle from the 12th century. It towers on a limestone rock above the old town of Stolberg and looks back on a 500-year construction history. You can visit the castle on a guided tour lasting about 1.5 hours to get a better impression of the building and its history. Last but not least, you can admire the copper courtyards in the valley axis near the Vichtbach stream. These early modern courtyard complexes are another characteristic feature of the town. However, you will not encounter uniform buildings, but rather very individual courtyards. In the pre-industrial residential and commercial complexes are copper courtyards that resemble palaces or are reminiscent of simple workshops. You should allow enough time for a visit to the old town, the castle, and the copper courtyards, so that you can visit everything at a relaxed pace. Source: https://www.eifel.info/a-historischer-altstadtkern

Stolberg's Old Town is one of the historic town centers of North Rhine-Westphalia and part of Oberstolberg in the copper town of Stolberg in the Aachen metropolitan region. The old town dates back to the city's origins and, together with Stolberg Castle, forms Stolberg's historic town center. The oldest streets and alleys are located near the castle. Several half-timbered houses in the late Gothic style have been preserved; the area is dominated by historic quarry stone houses made of dolomite limestone, whose window and door frames, corner blocks, and other supporting and decorative elements are made of bluestone. Over 100 buildings are listed as historical monuments, and numerous sculptures can be found here. Stolberg's oldest copper courtyards are also located here. The castle stands on a limestone rock. It dates back to the 15th century; a predecessor building dates back to the 12th century.

Stolberg Castle rises on a steep limestone cliff in the middle of Stolberg's old town in Stolberg (Rhineland) in the North Rhine-Westphalian city region of Aachen. It is the landmark, cradle and namesake of the city.

A great old castle with a very nice old town. We recommend.

The description at the very end of the comments tells the basics about the castle.

The castle of Monschau was probably built at the beginning of the 13th century. In the middle of the 14th century, the complex was extended and enclosed by mighty ring walls and ramparts. This almost impregnable fortress of the Counts of Jülich was besieged by Emperor Charles V in 1543 with heavy artillery and finally captured, the city was sacked. The castle was only restored to expand the weather complex of the lower castle. The Frenchmen confiscated the castle as a national asset and sold it. However, the private owners were unable to maintain the extensive complex. They had the roofs demolished in 1836/37 in order to be freed from the tax on buildings. The castle quickly fell into ruins. It was not until the turn of the century that the province tried to stop the decline. The castle was secured, repaired and renovated. After the First World War, a youth hostel occupied the west wing. The castle of Monschau as a "youth castle" thus remains lively and inviting. Christo even packed it in 1971, and it is a highlight of Monschau when the castle and town are lit up. In summer, the inner courtyard of the castle becomes the atmospheric backdrop for the "Monschau Festival". Then the performances of renowned artists and renowned orchestras transform the fortress into a real Mecca for music fans. There is a youth hostel in the castle. Unfortunately, for this reason, the building cannot be visited. But a visit to the courtyard and the fantastic view of the city are also worth it!