The moat has been filled in and streets created on the site, but traces of the original water defenses are visible on the river side of the castle.

Evidence of this is archeological finds from an excavation in one of the courtyards of the lower castle before World War I and also the proximity to the former Roman settlement of Ausava, a horse-changing station on the road between Treves and Cologne that today is the section of Gerolstein called Oos.

The castle at Lissingen took its present form as a defensible complex of buildings during the heyday of chivalry in the High Middle Ages.

[4] The first documentary mention of Lissingen Castle dates to 1212, as a possession of the Ritter (knight) von Liezingen.

In 1762, the elector of Trier (as procurator of Prüm Abbey) enfeoffed Josef Franz von Zandt zu Merl with Lissingen.

A few years later, in 1780, as an Imperial Knight of the Holy Roman Empire, the latter became Freiherr of Lissingen, a small autonomous territory.

Lissingen retained this status until the abolition of the Feudal system, and the castle was greatly extended, in particular by the addition of a much larger tithe barn and stables.

In the years that followed, both sections of the castle changed hands several times, until they were reunited in 1913 under a single owner, who developed the property into a large agricultural operation.

During World War II, the castle served as a billet for several Wehrmacht regiments and as command post for the German General Staff.

In addition, the lower castle is available for gastronomic and cultural events, such as marriages, conferences, art projects, and exhibitions.

The oldest architectural remnants in the castle are to be found in the cellar of this building and in the vaults under the large terrace in front of it, and may date to the Carolingian era.

Above this floor is a mezzanine level with appreciably lower ceilings, which formerly housed the actual living spaces for the owners.

The mill ground wheat for flour; the miller paid 5 malter of grain, 6 guilders and 8 albus in rent and for water usage.

The meadow area has been restored to showcase various biota and sculptures and provide locations for relaxation and nature observation.