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Historical farmhouse which was built shortly before the outbreak of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) by a vasall of the nearby monastery of Drolshagen. It was built in a style similar to the ancient castles which is also called in the region “Kasteel” (from Latin “castellum” castle). Later this house with his appurtenances developed into the village of Piene, now a district of the city of Gummersbach. The house was for many years in the possession of the Wever family, a traditional and wealthy family of judges in the region of the Oberbergischer Kreis, about 30 kilometers to the east of Cologne. From the original time of construction remain a completely reformed vaulted cellar, the exterior walls in the so-called “castle style” and parts of the ceiling on the first floor. The house, although a historical house, has no restrictions from the government's side with respect to preservation of the architectural heritage. The windows are mostly new and double-paned. The three corridors make access to the rooms easy and comfortable. The house has on the first floor two entrances, one from the courtyard and the other from the parking ground which gives access to the public road. It is integrated into the central canalization of the city of Gummersbach. Considering the size of the courtyard and garden and the legal situation, it is possible to construct at least two more houses on the ground or to enjoy a mansion with much more space embedded in a beautiful landscape.
Furnishment: The very large windowsills (corresponding with the breadth of the exterior walls) are mostly made of fine marble. The doors of the two entrances are new, only a few years old and of best quality, one of them double-paned. The laundry, which is situated near to the bathroom, offers the opportunity to dry clothes during the winter. The floor in the living room is from the time of construction, but is now covered with a carpet. In general, the floor is covered with carpets and plastic and ceramic tiles.
Location: The house is situated on the eastern outskirts of the city of Gummersbach (Northrhine-Westphalia, about 30 kilometers from Cologne), but near to the cities of Meinerzhagen (10 minutes with a car), Attendorn (20 minutes) and Drolshagen (15 minutes). The distance from the center of Gummersbach is about 25 minutes and from the historical city of Bergneustadt 15 minutes. To enjoy the countryside, you have numerous artifical lakes, formed by dams, one of them, distant only 5 kilometers, is the lake of the river Agger, one important tributary of the Sieg which mingles its waters with the Rhine. You can visit near there a great number of castles, e. g. Badinghagen, Gimborn (near Marienheide, the cradle of the ancient family of the Schwarzenbergs who also owned the famous Palais Schwarzenberg in Viena), Homburg (near Wiehl) and Crottorf near Siegen, the city of the famous painter Peter Paul Rubens and the family of Nassau. The entrance to the highway (Autobahn) to Frankfurt is only distant 5 minutes with the car. Even during the winter and with much snow, access to all the highways and roads is guaranteed. There are excellent opportunities for many different kinds of physical activities, including riding, skating, skiing and hiking. It is interesting that the outstanding English author Charles Dickens mentioned Gummersbach in his “Household Words” (Volume 6, 1853, p. 247).
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