Hemmerich Castle looks back on an eventful history dating back to Roman settlement.
According to the testimony of the Cologne historian Aegidius Gelenius, the ruins of the medieval knight's castle were still visible in the 17th century. At that time, stones from the "Roman canal" passing below Hemmerich, in Kardorf, were used as building material. Even today, these materials can be seen on the walls of the castle, which has been in ruins since August 1945. However, the exact age of the castle cannot be determined.
In autumn 1985, a revealing votive stone with a completely preserved inscription was found not far from the castle, which is attributed to the Roman god of trade and traffic, Mercury.
Of the numerous owners of the castle, particular mention must be made of the Knights of Hemberg, who as ministerials of the Cologne church held the office of hereditary chamberlain and thus attained high prestige. Through marriage, inheritance or purchase, the owners changed frequently, so that the castle was soon in the hands of Rhenish nobles, bourgeois merchants or wealthy clergymen.
While the neighbouring Rösberg Castle was designed by the famous Westphalian Baroque master builder Johann Conrad Schlaun according to the French model as a regular three-winged complex with a wide courtyard of honour, Hemmerich was given a completely different architectural character by an unknown master builder due to the local conditions. From 1729 to 1773, under Maria Elisabeth von und zum Pütz, a rural baroque palace complex was created on the building substance of the old knight's seat around a longitudinal rectangular inner courtyard adjoined by an extensive regular park. The baroque gate pavilion, which is still preserved, is reminiscent of a former gate tower dating from the Middle Ages, the portal of which could probably be closed by means of a drop gate.
In 1813, the three sons of von und zum Pütz sold the castle. After another intermediate owner, the estate with 160 acres of land and 125 acres of woodland has been in the possession of the von Nordeck zu Nordeck family since 1824.
A few years ago, the present owner had a residential building adapted to the style of the castle built in the park. Some memorabilia could be saved from the old manor house and adorn the tasteful building.
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