Schleiden Castle

Schleiden Castle in the Eifel town of Schleiden was a former castle from the late 12th century, which was converted into the present-day castle due to significant destruction in several wars.

In 1198, the "castrum" was first documented. In 1343, the Counts of Luxembourg received the castle as an imperial fief. In 1346, the Emperor allowed the Lord of Schleiden, who came from the noble family of the Counts of Blankenheim, to take the castle, the outer bailey, and the valley as a fief of the Count of Luxembourg, on the condition that the fortress became a Luxembourg open house. In 1445, the noble family of the Lords of Schleiden died out, and the noble family of Nassau-Diez took over the castle complex. The families of Manderscheid (1450), von der Marck (1593), von Arenberg (1773) followed as noble lords of Schleiden Castle. In 1920, the Arenbergs sold the former fortress, which had in the meantime been converted into a castle, to the Lazarist Order. In the war years of 1944 and 1945, most of the castle buildings were destroyed; only the southern part of the east wing and the surrounding walls remained. In 1950, the castle was rebuilt in the old style. In 1951, the Oblate Order took over Schleiden Castle and established the "Marianum Boarding School" in the main building.