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Over the centuries, Raeren castle has often changed owners, either by inheritance or sale.
The castle in the 14th century - where Iter and Periolbach meet
Raeren castle was built in the middle of the 14th Century at the confluence of Iter- and Periolbach on the site of a former iron ore smelter. Up to today, the builder has been unknown.
The castle was a fief of the provost man Chamber of the Aachen Marienstift. The first known owner of house "zen Roideren" in the parish of Walhorn was Johan van den Roiderer (+1426). Back then, the castle consisted of a two-storey residential tower, a so-called "donjon" with an almost square layout. Separated by a forecourt stood the kitchen. The agricultuarl buildings were situated at their present location. The courtyard could be accessed from the Northeast. The entire property was surrounded by two moats and several ponds.
The castle complex today - From donjon to mansion
Towards the end of the 16th century the separate kitchen was destroyed by fire. In 1583 the owner at the time, Philipp de Lomont, enlarged the building, almost doubling its size. He had one part of the moat filled up with debris from the surrounding potteries and built an addition on the site of the former kitchen. The date of this renovation is engraved above today's entrance and on a stone in the enclosing wall of the moat.
In the 18th century, the castle had become dilapidated. The former owner, lawyer Peter Joseph de Nys, rebuilt it in the romantic style. He built a dam with today´s entrance coming from "castle road" and a remise. He is also responsible for the gothic lancet windows and the balcony adorning the North wall of the castle and raised the northwest tower to its present height, creating thus on each floor a round tower room. Up to today the entrance portal shows the crest of "De Nys".