burg unterheiligenhoven

The stronghold ruins are at its north- and east side bordered by levees which are fed by the Lenneferbach, west of the ruins a farm, northeast the Holy Trinity Chapel, the confluence of the Vossbrucher- and Lenneferbach had once a water mill. The main castle dates from the 15th century, the baily 17th century, this was the seat of the Niederheiligenhoven “Lehnsgericht” and “Hofgericht” (Hereditary court and High Court. Hereditary courts existed Prussia and elsewhere in Germany until the middle of the 19th century and were courts of the noble landlords, who ruled on disputes between the overlord and the vassal, who each had their own jurisdiction which was tied to ownership of a property (patrimonium), the landlord (f. e. owner of a fortified castle) was the judge and to enforce his rights he usually used a legally formed court director. A High Court deals at first instance with all high value and high importance cases, and also has a supervisory jurisdiction over all subordinate courts and many (but not all) tribunals). Access to the castle was via the baily and over a bridge. The south-eastern part of the castle was the first to collapse, this happened in 1929. Still at prsent the double walls of the fortress clearly stand out at the site but are largely lapsed, the baily is surrounded by its own artificially constructed circular rampart. During storm Kyrill in January 2007 a tree fell onto the ruins, which influenced the decline even further. The ruin is situated on a private plot and is not accessible.