Großbüllesheim Castle was first mentioned in records in 1402, in the fiefdom of the Duke of Jülich, enfeoffed to Reymer Spies von Büllesheim, whose descendants still flourish today as the Barons Spies von Büllesheim. Büllesheim castle was originally built in two parts next to a weir, as a knight's country seat. Of this only the gate-tower of the residential house remains, built onto the fore-castle. The fore-castle itself has undergone no major changes in 350 years, apart from minor renovation work. The buildings of the main castle preserved till today date back to the 17th century and underwent major transformations in the 19th century, so that now Büllesheim castle is no longer recognizable as the main castle. The moat is no longer visible, either, as it dried out and was filled in with sand and earth.
The castle was in the fiefdom of the Duke of Jülich until 1802, when the last Duke of Jülich, Ludwig von Brempt, died. From then on, it was no longer the country seat and rapidly fell into disrepair. Today only the three-winged fore-castle has been preserved. In 1867 the estate was bought by the Nettekoven family, who divided the land and farm and constructed a second residential house in 1886, so that now there are two distinct farms, separated by a wall.
References:The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.
Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.