Baesweiler

In 1982, during the initial work on the retirement home of the Catholic parish of Setterich, the foundation walls of a large castle complex came to light. Historical sources have made it possible to reconstruct the ownership structure: a castle already stood here in the 13th century and belonged to the Lords of Setterich, a branch of the Lords of Stolberg. Through marriage, the Setterich estate then passed to the Reuschenberg family, a large and important family of knights from the Bergisches Land region, around 1375. Later, various Belgian nobles owned the castle.

The findings of excavations carried out in 1982 confirm that Setterich Castle underwent several phases of construction: the earliest structure was probably a so-called motte, a tower complex built on an artificial hill and surrounded by a moat. The moat fill contained finds from the 10th to 12th centuries. Between the 12th and 14th centuries, a successor building made of large sandstone blocks was erected on the site, which burned down in the 16th century. The castle was then rebuilt in brick, surrounded by a moat. It was demolished in the early 19th century, and today only the gatehouse remains.

A retirement home with around 100 places was built on the remains of the castle. The floor plan was modelled on that of the old building.