Auel Castle

The Birker Bach, an orographically right tributary of the Agger, flows through a small park with three ponds at Schloss Auel. These show an increasing population of common toads, common frogs, and newts.

North of Wahlscheid stands Schloss Auel, first documented in 1391 as a moated castle under Peter van Auel. Later it was mentioned as the family seat of the von Meuchen and von Proff zu Menden families.

The current main house was built in 1763. Since the marriage of Philippe de la Valette to Franziska von Broe in 1818, Schloss Auel has been owned by the von La Valette-St. George family.

The family, descended from French ancient nobility, names as its most famous scion the Grand Master of the Order of St. John and later the Order of Malta, Jean Parisot de la Valette. In 1565, he successfully defended the island of Malta against the attack of the Ottomans under Suleiman II. In his honor, the capital Valletta, which he founded and largely built, was named after him.

Several important personalities of world history have visited the castle since then. Napoléon Bonaparte stayed there during his only inspection of the French Rhine Army from September 2 to 7, 1811. Tsar Alexander I of Russia and the later Emperor Wilhelm II were also guests there.

The life of Adolph Freiherr von La Valette-St. George (1831-1910), zoologist and anatomist in Bonn, began and ended at Auel.

Since 1951, Schloss Auel has been run as a hotel with a restaurant. A golf course with a public bistro is also affiliated. Due to its own castle chapel, Schloss Auel is known as a venue for weddings and baptisms.

Schloss Auel is located on Federal Highway 484. It is connected by line 557 (Siegburg - Lohmar - Donrath - Wahlscheid - Overath) and line 558 (Siegburg - Lohmar - Donrath - Scheiderhöhe - Durbusch - Wahlscheid).

The nearest stops are Schlossstraße and Rosaueler Weg. Schloss Auel is located within the tariff area of the Rhein-Sieg Transport Association (VRS).