Metternich Castle Ruin

As early as 1268, the Lords of Braunshorn, who came from the Hunsrück region in the foothills of the Hunsrück, were proven to be the owners of the castle as feudatories of the Archbishopric of Cologne. However, the core of the castle seems to be older. After the line died out, the castle and its domain passed from the daughter Lisa von Braunshorn to her husband Kuno von Winnenburg. In 1371 it was transferred to the Electoral Palatinate. After the Winnenburgs died out, the dominion passed to the Lords of Metternich in 1637, who were finally enfeoffed with the castle in 1652 after a dispute with Electorate Trier. The Metternichs did not enjoy their possession for long; already in 1689, on 2 February, the "beautiful, proud castle" was destroyed by the French under Count Montalt.