Ulmen Castle Ruins
The few walls of the once stately Ulmen Castle rise above the steep banks of the Ulmen Maar. Only parts of the upper castle have been preserved for posterity.
The oldest part of the castle in Ulmen was built around 1,000 AD and most likely rests on the remains of a Roman settlement. The castle in Ulmen was further expanded in the Middle Ages. From then on, the upper castle and the lower castle (lower castle) formed a large complex that reached all the way to the banks of the Ulmener Maar. In addition, the Niederburg was connected to the city wall of Ulmen.
The castle was inhabited by two families of knights and, due to its size, was never attacked or even destroyed until 1673. It was the headquarters of the Knights of Ulmen since 1150. Attacks were mostly repelled and the damage was rebuilt. With the death of the last descendant around 1800, the castle was abandoned and then stood empty. The auction of the castle to a Cochem merchant led to the castle being demolished in order to use stones as building material. After a devastating fire in the 19th century, many Ulmen residents rebuilt their houses using stones from the castle.
It was only at the beginning of the twentieth century that Ulmen Castle was placed under monument protection and became the property of the local community of Ulmen. The castle is freely accessible at any time.
Highlights nearby
- Ulmener Maar
- Jungferweiher
- Eifel View Kreuzberg
- Eifel View Höchstberg
Hiking trails
near the Ulmen castle ruins
As everywhere in the Vulkaneifel, we invite locals and guests near the Ulmen castle ruins to take an exciting tour of times gone by. Whether alone or with an expert guide - hike the region on one of the numerous hiking trails.