Clan Rising
Schloss Burgau today

Germany · Restored

Schloss Burgau

Burgau Castle (Schloss Burgau) is a water castle on a small island in the town forest of Düren, Germany. It preserves a medieval keep with a 16th-century decorated bay (the gazebo room) and was converted into a Baroque three-wing residence with an outer bailey (Vorburg); it was destroyed in 1944 and restored between 1975 and 1998 and today serves as an event venue and museum space.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

Its prime

1730

Today

Restored

As it stood in 1730

What Schloss Burgau looked like in its prime.

Built on a circular island about 50 metres across, the castle presents a compact three-wing baroque plan with a prominent medieval house-tower at one corner. The tower rises in reddish stone with a banded white corbel course and steep slate roof with small dormers and conical corner turrets topped by metal finials; a richly carved 16th-century projecting bay (the gazebo room) sits on the tower façade. The connected wings are rendered ochre with slate roofs; the complex is surrounded by a water-filled moat and approached by a low stone bridge and cobbled causeway.

Its story

The story of Schloss Burgau.

Burgau is a water castle on an island barely fifty metres across in the town forest of Düren, its earliest traces dating to about 1100, when a motte was raised on the site. The keep is medieval; southern, eastern and northern wings of the main castle followed, and in the sixteenth century a bay richly decorated with reliefs, the "gazebo room", was added to the house tower.

Renovation of the damaged castle was agreed in 1675, and around 1730 its conversion into a Baroque three-wing residence began; from 1685 a three-winged outer bailey, the Vorburg, was built for the management of the castle, ringed like the main island by a water-filled moat. Destroyed in 1944 during the Second World War, Burgau was restored between 1975 and 1998 and today serves as an event venue and museum space.

Step inside

9 places to explore in 1730.

The record describes 9 distinct spots at Schloss Burgau, including 2 interiors: gazebo room (projecting bay) interior, winkelsaal (outer ward hall) interior. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Cobbled bridge approach to the islandPond and moat from the shorelineInner courtyard / forecourt between the wingsHouse-tower façade with the gazebo bayGazebo room (projecting bay) interiorInner bailey gatewayOuter bailey (Vorburg) three-wing management buildingsWinkelsaal (outer ward hall) interiorDistant view from the surrounding town forest

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From the archive

Schloss Burgau on paper: the measured plan and period views.

The survey plan and photographs below are the ground truth this page's reconstructions are checked against, drawn and photographed while the castle was still a working garrison. Every image is public-domain or openly licensed, with its source named.

Burgau: Schloss, Schloss Burgau

Burgau: Schloss

· State Archives of Baden-Württemberg (via Europeana)

CC BY

Burgau: Schloss, Schloss Burgau

Burgau: Schloss

· State Archives of Baden-Württemberg (via Europeana)

CC BY

Burgau: Tor, Schloss Burgau

Burgau: Tor

· State Archives of Baden-Württemberg (via Europeana)

CC BY

Nearby

Landmarks within reach of Schloss Burgau.

Palatine Chapel in Aachen, GermanyChurchPalatine Chapel in Aachen29 km awayAachen Cathedral, GermanyCathedralAachen Cathedral29 km awayPalace of Aachen, GermanyPalacePalace of Aachen29 km away

Questions about Schloss Burgau

What is the history of Schloss Burgau?

Schloss Burgau’s history reaches back to about 1100, when a motte was raised on the site. A medieval keep and the southern, eastern and northern wings followed, while a richly decorated bay was added to the house tower in the sixteenth century. Renovation was agreed in 1675, and conversion to a Baroque residence began around 1730. The castle was destroyed in 1944 and restored between 1975 and 1998.

What is inside Schloss Burgau?

Schloss Burgau contains the gazebo room in the richly decorated projecting bay and the Winkelsaal in the outer bailey. The main castle also has an inner courtyard, while the main part provides 450 square metres of exhibition space and a conference room. The Winkelsaal and the courtyard host concerts and other events.

Why was Schloss Burgau built, and what was it used for?

Schloss Burgau was first raised as a motte castle and later served as a residence and an estate-management centre. Around 1730 it was converted into a Baroque three-wing residence, while the three-winged Vorburg, built from 1685, was used for managing the castle. Both the main island and outer bailey were surrounded by water-filled moats.

Where is Schloss Burgau?

Schloss Burgau is in Düren, in the town forest at the edge of the district Niederau. It stands on a small island surrounded by a pond and moat. Düren is the nearest named town and the castle is located within its administrative territory.

When was Schloss Burgau built?

Schloss Burgau was built in several stages, beginning with a motte around 1100. The medieval keep followed, then the southern, eastern and northern wings of the main castle. A decorated bay was added in the sixteenth century, and the complex was converted into a Baroque three-wing residence around 1730.

What did Schloss Burgau look like in its prime?

Schloss Burgau has a compact Baroque three-wing plan on a circular island about 50 metres across. Its reddish-stone medieval house-tower has a white corbel band, steep slate roof, dormers and conical corner turrets, with a richly carved sixteenth-century gazebo bay. Ochre-rendered wings, slate roofs, a water-filled moat and a low stone bridge complete the appearance.

Is Schloss Burgau still standing, or is it a ruin?

Schloss Burgau is still standing and has been restored. It was destroyed during the Second World War in 1944, then restored between 1975 and 1998. The restoration followed old pictures and drawings and aimed to reproduce the buildings as faithfully as possible; the gazebo bay required particular effort.

Can you visit Schloss Burgau?

Schloss Burgau can be visited as a tourist attraction and event venue, with exhibition space, concerts and other events. It also houses museum space, and local societies use the premises. Its heritage status is architectural heritage monument in North Rhine-Westphalia.

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