Built under Duke William V (1516–1592), the castle fortress Zitadelle demonstrated the power and grandeur of the influential sovereign. The "palazzo in fortezza" by Italian architect Alessandro Pasqualini is considered the most significant example of Italian High Renaissance architecture in the German-speaking world. The imposing 90,000 square meter fortress with its mighty ramparts and numerous casemates has been largely preserved and can be visited on guided tours.

The architectural gem of the complex is the restored east facade of the ducal palace. The central palace chapel is a popular event venue with excellent acoustics—have a listen.

In the historic castle cellar, exhibitions take visitors on a journey through three important periods in history: the Roman era, when Jülich was founded over 2,000 years ago; the Renaissance, when the castle and fortress were built; and the Romantic period in the 19th century, when the Prussians rebuilt Jülich.

Our special exhibitions are held in the powder magazine, which dates back to the early 19th century. They always revolve around a central, 10-square-meter model of the town of Jülich, which shows the largest planned expansion of the fortress during the Prussian era.

Roman roads formed an important basis for the development of the cultural landscape over the last 2000 years. Jülich owes its existence to the ancient highway from Cologne to Boulogne-sur-Mer. In Roman times, Iuliacum was a road station at the crossing of the Rur. The southeast tower of the Jülich citadel houses the Via Belgica information center. A preserved excavation section through the 2000-year-old road allows visitors to see the history of the road from its Roman pavement to the asphalt surface of the 20th century. It was created as part of the project "Erlebnisraum Römerstraße | Agrippastraße Via Belgica" (Roman Road | Agrippa Road Via Belgica Experience Area).