Veldenz Castle

Schloss Veldenz in the Moselle valley region is a castle ruin about 1.5 km southeast of the village of Veldenz in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate.

The site is located in the Rhineland-Palatinate in the county of Bernkastel-Wittlich. It is situated on a hill spur, roughly 320 metres above sea level, and 180 above the level of the Mosel.

It is located on the slopes of the Hunsrück in a side valley of the Moselle through which the Veldenzer Bach. The town of Bernkastel-Kues is located four km northeast, the county town of Wittlich is about 15 km northwest, and the nearest city is Trier 31 km southwest (all distances in a straight line]).

The first written reference to the castle was in the year 1156 (possibly a few years earlier). Frederick I (Barbarossa) confirmed the holding by Bishop Albert I of Verdun of the castle together with the surrounding land.

Since the 12th Century, the Counts of Veldenz have been the feudal lords of the land and the castle which became centre of the County of Veldenz. In 1286 Rudolf von Habsburg granted Veldenz city and market charters.

In 1444 the castle and surrounding area came into the possession of the Counts of Pfalz-Zweibrücken due to the extinction of the Veldenz male line. They and their successors remained in possession of the Castle and county until the year 1694, even though during the intervening Thirty Years War followed approximately 150 years later by the Palatinian Succession War the castle was occupied by Swedish, Spanish and French troops.

Finally in 1681, the castle was destroyed. In the following years, the owner moved and often used the ruin as a quarry, over time it belonged to the Electorate of the Palatinate and Bavaria. Since 1807, it is in private hands and is now owned by the Haufs-Brusberg family.