Touristinformation Cochem
Endertplatz 1
56812 Cochem
Tel.: +49 02671 – 60040
Fax: +49 02671 – 600444
Cochem Castle
It is thought that Cochem Castle which stands on a hill 100 metres above the River Mosel was built around the start of the 11th century and was first mentioned in a document dating from 1051.
In 1294, the castle, the city of Cochem, as well as the surrounding imperial property of about 50 villages was pawned to Boemund I of Trier by king Adolf of Nassau to help pay for his coronation as German emperor. This did not bode well for the castle as king Adolf nor his heir, King Albrecht I of Austria were able to find the necessary funds to reacquire the castle. The resulting outcome meant that the archbishops of Trier kept Cochem Castle as a hereditary fiefdom until 1794.
During the reign of Archbishop Balduin (1307-1354) the old castle was enlarged and fortified and from 1419, the Lords of the castle were replaced by local magistrates.
When the armies of King Louis XIV (the Sun King) invaded the Rhine and the Moselle in 1688 during the war of succession of the Palatinate, Cochem castle, was occupied, torched and finally destroyed in 1689.
The castle remained in ruins until 1868, when a Berlin businessman, Mr. Louis Ravené, brought the castle lands and the ruins and began reconstruction work on Cochem Castle incorporating the remains of the late Gothic buildings.
The entire castle was rebuilt in the then popular Neo-Gothic architectural style.
This was in keeping with the current fashion of the period in Germany during the 19th century. The fashion at the time throughout Germany was for the nobility or other wealthy citizens to purchase and refurbish castle ruins as family summer residences. The Ravené family followed this trend and used the castle as a family summer residence.