Hotel Schulz

For centuries, the „Eschenbrender Hof” was on the current site of the

„Rheinhotel Schulz“. One of the most famous Unkel families moved from Asbach to Unkel at the beginning of the 16th century. For many generations the Eschenbrenders held offices as mayor, lay judge and court clerk. Adam Eschenbrender became the builder and custodian in the service of the Cologne Collegiate Foundation „Sanct Maria ad gradus“. Adam’s sons, Gottfried, Andreas and Arnold Eschenbrender achieved crucial importance. After a period of suffering during the Thirty Years‘ War and the Black Death in 1666/1667 Unkel had declined. The extremely vigorous Gottfried (1645-1723) accomplished the recovery of the entire community. His brothers Andreas and Arnold supported him.

Due to the fact that the Archbishop Josef Clemens was in political exile at the beginning of the 18th century Andreas Eschenbrender (1649- 1717) achieved the position of the President of the Chamber, actually the regent of Cologne’s Electorate. He managed to create a valuable baroque interior. Arnold, a legal advisor of the Kurkölnisch cities, contributed to the interior including the Marienaltar. The brothers’ high financial commitment led to the recovery of Unkel.

Back in the 19th century the building was rented to the Prussian Colonel Heinrich von Steinaecker. Ida Melos, daughter of a Weimar professor, was the governess of the Steinaeckers‘ family and met Ferdinand Freiligrath here in 1840. He was living next door and had just become a famous poet. Ida Melos became the woman in his life.

In 1883 the Unkel innkeeper, Mathias Clasen, converted the building into a hotel. In 1890 he had to sell it to the Godesberg Hotel owner Robert Schulz which began the tradition of the Rheinhotel Schulz in Unkel.