Junkernhees Castle

At the strategically located site in the Heestal, a fortified country estate, the Heesburg, is first documented for the year 1372: On June 28, 1372, Knight Gottfried III von der Hees and his wife Meckel confirmed in a document that they had received the house "zur Hese" including its moat as a fief from Count Johann I of Nassau. In return, the Nassau count was granted the right of access to the house. In the following almost 100 years, the Heesburg changed owners several times. In 1468, the feudal relationship between the descendants – Count Johann IV of Nassau (1410–1475) and Philipp von der Hees – was renewed under the conditions of 1372, and again in 1476 with Johann V of Nassau (1455–1516).

Junkernhees Castle, in its form partially preserved to this day, was built in the first quarter of the 16th century by Philipp's younger son, Adam von der Hees (1475–1531), approximately 250 meters from the older Heesburg. The exact year of commencement and duration of the construction work can no longer be determined today; construction is estimated to have begun around 1514. The owners moved in on December 1, 1523; the occupation of the new building was documented with a coat of arms stone placed above the portal, bearing the coats of arms of Adam von der Hees and his second wife Margaretha Schutzbar. In the 16th century, Junkernhees Castle was a defensive castle made of rubble masonry with four towers, loopholes, and a moat.

The ownership of the noble family von der Hees ended with the death of Johann Stephan von und zu der Hees (1615–1634), great-grandson of Adam von der Hees. The new owner was Johann Stephan's daughter, Anna Maria, who married Junker Heinrich von Syberg zu Schwerte before 1650. From this period, the new name of the estate, Junkernhees, is documented for the first time.

In 1698, the purely defensive character of Junkernhees was abandoned. The main building was extended with a half-timbered superstructure on a rubble stone plinth floor with two large roof gables. The inscription on one gable, "D W Syberg 1698" with an illustration of a five-spoked wheel, points to Junker Dietrich Wilhelm von Syberg (1650–1742) as the builder. The house is considered today one of the oldest preserved houses of this construction style in the Siegerland.

Among the outbuildings, the former brandy distillery and the former mill from 1796 have been preserved. Both are now used as residential buildings. The round tower was restored in 1999. Today, the listed building houses a hotel and a restaurant in the knight's hall. Art exhibitions are also held at the castle at irregular intervals. According to information from the Siegener Zeitung, there were plans to sell the castle to an investor by early 2012, who intended to convert it into a hotel with 100 rooms. These plans were later shelved, and the castle has been for sale since 2013.