Kühlseggen Castle is a remarkable exception to the rule: after a century of standing unoccupied and neglected, it was renovated and became the residence of its owner. Today the complex of buildings is based on the castle and moat of the middle ages. The remains of the gothic manor house can be recognized in the contemporary residential house. The working yard outside was not constructed until the 19th century, after the moat of the fore-castle had been filled in.
Since its last renovation the baroque manor house, based on its medieval predecessor, presents a fascinating image of a hybrid castle. Until the late 14th century the owners of Kühlseggen Castle changed frequently. During the course of the 15th century it attained the status of knight's castle. Up till 1836 the estate changed hand often and declined visibly. In 1836 the daughter of Baron von Zuydwyck inherited the estate and the castle continued to decay, uninhabited, until 1964. Robin, Baron von Eltz-Ruebenach has since restored the entire castle.
References:The Château du Lude is one of the many great châteaux of the Loire Valley in France. Le Lude is the most northerly château of the Loire Valley and one of the last important historic castles in France, still inhabited by the same family for the last 260 years. The château is testimony to four centuries of French architecture, as a stronghold transformed into an elegant house during the Renaissance and the 18th century. The monument is located in the valley of Le Loir. Its gardens have evolved throughout the centuries.