burg kray (krayer hof)

and therefore closed to the public, but if you aske the friendly owner he will allow you to check its exterior and tell you of his youth at the premesis and how he, as a very young boy, bycicled at the attic (former granery). The originally by a moat surrounded lowland castle was built in the 11th century by Lambert von Lützing, in 1336 property of Archbishopric and electorate of Cologne, subsequently property of various nobles. In 1813 purchased by Andernach leather manufacturer Nebel, in 1827 acquired by Matthias Hölterhof from Cologne, 1901-1902 the French poet Guillaume Apollinaire lived temporarily as House teacher at Castle Kray. Of this in its core Romanesque areal are the main building and the tower are preserved. Since 1953 the castle is owned by family Anton Elvert (the name Elvert derives from the old French Hugenottenalter = elle verde: the Greens), the family was resettled from Hiddingsel (Münsterland). Because of the elle verde, the green ones) the family was relocated from Hiddingsel (Münsterland). Due to the straithning of the Dortmund-Eems Canal the old homestead had to give way. The name Elvert was given to the hamlet.