'' by
Clarkson Stanfield, 1837. The ruins of the castle are visible on the right. The history of the castle goes back to 1268 when the castle (referred to as Bilstein Castle) was first mentioned. It is thought the castle is even older, with some historians indicating 1129 as the year of construction. Until the first half of 17th century, the castle was owned by Counts von
Nassau-Dillenburg. In 1637, the castle became the property of the
House of Metternich, hence its current name, Metternich Castle. The last member of the family to own the castle was
Klemens von Metternich, one of the most famous diplomats of the
Austrian Empire he was foreign minister from 1809 to 1848. In 1689, during the
Nine Years' War, the castle was destroyed by French troops. == External links ==