Centuries whisper from the stones of Burg Endenich. This is no fairytale castle of soaring towers. Burg Endenich is a survivor. It stands as a testament to Endenich’s long history. Today only the Vorburg, or outer ward, remains. It offers a glimpse into a past filled with knights, nobles, and even a devastating war.
Burg Endenich’s story starts perhaps as early as 1135. It was then that the Cassius-Stift acquired an estate here. However, concrete evidence only appears around 1200. Two knights residing at Burg Endenich were documented at that time.
Imagine this place bustling with activity. Knights would have trained here. Servants bustled about their daily tasks. The Endenicher Bach flowed nearby. It once fed the Burg Endenich’s moat. The street we stand on was once called “Baachjass”. That means “Bachgasse” or “Brook Alley”. Now it is named Am Burggraben, At the Moat.
The Burg Endenich changed hands many times over the centuries. In the late 15th century, the knights of Endenich passed it to the vam Huys family. Then in 1616, the owner’s daughter married Engelhard von Weichs. He was a Freiherr from Rösberg. By 1619, the Burg Endenich was in his possession.
Disaster struck during the Palatinate War of Succession from 1688 to 1697. The main castle was destroyed. Some say it may have happened even earlier. Only the outer ward remained. In 1690, Johann Heinrich von Lapp bought Burg Endenich. He was a court chamber director.
His son, Joseph Clemens von Lapp, inherited Burg Endenich in 1710. Joseph and his wife Maria Catharina Canto renovated it. The von Lapp family lived here until 1812. After them came Legationsrat Karl Wilhelm Nose. Ludwig Eberhard von Hymmen then acquired it in 1830.
For 132 years, the Burg Endenich stayed with the von Hymmen family. In 1962, the family sold it to the City of Bonn for 400,000 Deutsche Mark. Burg Endenich officially became a protected monument on December 4, 2006.
Today, the Burg Endenich serves the community. A branch of the city library resides within its walls. A meeting room hosts local clubs. The volunteer fire department and a senior center also call it home.
The Trägerverein Endenicher Burg e. V. has cared for the Burg Endenich since 1995. This association ensures the Burg Endenich remains a vibrant center for Endenich’s clubs. They were also instrumental in achieving its status as a protected monument.
Before you leave Burg Endenich, look for the old sweet chestnut tree. It is in the courtyard. The tree is over 130 years old. Its trunk is over four meters around. This chestnut is a protected natural monument.
Burg Endenich is more than just old stones. It is a living part of Endenich. It connects the past with the present. Burg Endenich reminds us that even after destruction, life and community endure.