An important trading route in the Sauerland passed through this area, compelling Cologne’s Archbishop Engelbert von Berg to build Schnellenberg castle in 1222. Subsequent owners during the next 100 years fortified the castle even further. In 1594 Caspar von Fürstenberg bought the property and constructed much of what you see today.
Burg Schnellenberg is one of mightiest fortresses in Westphalia. Massive gateways, stone bridges, beamed and high vaulted ceilings, and tower rooms transport you back to medieval times.
Interiors suggest a certain German heartiness with fireplaces that crackle and stag horns that gaze down from the walls. The majority of guest rooms are quite large and handsomely furnished. The tower room is the best room in the castle. The upper floors are the oldest with stuccoed beamed ceilings. The former brewery now houses a cozy bar, which is decorated with family coats of arms. A pleasant garden is a perfect place in which to relax.
References:The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.
In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.