History of the Schloss Zell - the Schlosshotel Zell

In the year 1144, the area around Zell, subordinated to the so called Pfalzgrafen bei Rhein, came in the hands of the electorate of Trier. This was followed by the construction of fortifications and castles. In the year 1222, Lord Theoderich von Wied gave the inhabitants of Zell the right to erect a city wall.

One hundred years later, under the reign of King Balduin, Count of Luxemburg and brother of Emperor Heinrich the VII, a castle-like fortification was built in front of the northern gate,

the Schloss Zell

In 1543, under the reign of electorate Johannes von Hagen it was rebuilt. This construction is nowadays the hotel. Later on a new wing on the streetside was added.

After his castle, called Arras, was destroyed, it became the residence of Vogt in Hamm, a high-ranked civil servant from Trier. Since then we can see a bowshaped arch frieze, decorated with cloverleaf and made of red sandstone, surrounding the building and the two impressive towers. Blind arches and tracery were partly renewed and two towers were built on both sides of the streetside wing.

Open stairs lead from the closed-in castlecourt to the so-called New Hall. Since the 18th century, a new wing connecting both castlecourt and New Hall, covers these stairs. Also a slated, half-timbering upper floor with a fine decorated frontside is constructed. A new entrance to the castle is made.It is still in use as our hotelentrance. A large balcony now connects both towers. In this way, skilled builders created a profane masterpiece showing us the architectual connection between the middle-ages and the newer times.
After the breakdown of the religious states in the Rheinland in 1803, this electorate property came into private hands. (The new owner paid 3800,00 French Goldfrancs.). Since 1948, the oldest part of the building is opened to visitors and offers gastronomy and hospitality.

It used to be a plain manor with a defensive character and in 1521 Emperor Maximilian resided here and in 1847 Friedrich Wilhelm the IV, but now it has again a valuable task:

everyone can be a guest here.