Löwenburg Castle near Bad Honnef is a castle ruin which remains preserved in terms of its foundation walls and is one of the few complexes on the Rhine, which formed the centre of a distinct dominion. The core complex was built by the counts of Sayn around 1200 and served as a safeguard against the neighbouring Archbishopric of Cologne. In the 13th century, the Castle was acquired by the counts of Sponheim-Heinsberg from whom the line of the lords of Löwenburg emanated. From this time on, the estate formed the centre of a small autonomous dominion. After the extinction of the line of the lords of Löwenburg, the Castle was finally added to the Jülich-Berg Duchy in 1463. The Castle ruin is now a popular hiking destination and easily accessible via the nearby Rheinsteg trail.