Satzvey Castle is a medieval moated castle, originally from the 12th century, located on the north-eastern edge of the Eifel in Mechernich in the Euskirchen district, North Rhine-Westphalia.Experts consider it to be the best preserved moated castle in the Rhineland in its original structure, a gem of Rhenish castle building and a monument to aristocratic culture and way of life.Satzvey Castle is a typical moated castle, such as those built by the ministerial nobility in the 14th and 15th centuries in the lowlands, while the high nobility built hilltop castles that were difficult to conquer. The lack of a mountain as a natural obstacle for attackers had to be replaced by moats that were difficult to overcome. For this reason, moated castles were usually built on two islands and were almost always located near a stream that supplied the moats with water. The more heavily fortified main castle was thus additionally protected by the outer castle on the second island.
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