The only part of Düsseldorf's old castle left is this single tower, that now houses the city's maritime museum.
What I like about it, is that it is the location of a rather dramatic ghost story...
Poor Jakobea von Baden was born in 1558, into the ruling family of the Duchy of Baden. As a young woman, she was married to Johann Wilhelm of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, whose seat was in Düsseldorf.
Johann Wilhelm, not to put too fine a point on it, was impotent and mad...
There was a lot going on with Johann Wilhelm. His parents hated him, he had syphilis and he was known for nuclear tantrums at court.
Jakobea tried to provide an heir - and rule in her husband's stead - but she faced an uphill battle...
Unfortunately, Jakobea was indiscrete when it came to an extra marital fling and was arrested and thrown into a tower of her own castle, while the Holy Roman Empire's cogs of justice turned verrry slowly...
In early September, 1597, Jakobea was found dead in her bed. The ruling was a stroke, but palace servants would later swear they saw finger marks around her neck...
The prime suspect? Sibylle of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, Johann's sister. It's thought she wanted to clear the way for a younger, more Catholic wife for her mad brother...
Jakobea is now described as 'Thr White Lady' who appears both in, and floating around the castle on September nights, a red ribbon around her neck...
As for Sibylle, she's supposed to wander the Altstadt at night, holding Jakobea's head under her arm, dressed all in black.
Man, German ghost stories have no chill.
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