Take a trip to the Middle Ages at Vianden Castle TEXT: ELODIE NOËL | PHOTOS: VIANDEN CASTLE
Built more than a thousand years ago, this Luxembourgish fortress has undergone some major renovations to bring it back to its original magnificent state. It is now considered one of the 21 most beautiful castles in the world (CNN). Located in the north of Luxembourg, Vianden Castle is a witness to history. One of the largest fortified castles west of the Rhine, it is set on a rocky promontory, overlooking the town of Vianden and the River Our. With a long and tumultuous past, the fortress has recently been fully 40 | Issue 74 | February 2020
restored and now attracts visitors keen to learn about its history. “The castle is almost a thousand years old,” explains Jessica Ersfeld, chief of staff at Vianden Castle. “It was constructed between the 11th and 14th centuries on the foundations of a Roman castellum and combines the Romanesque and Gothic styles. During the Renaissance, the castle went through great changes, with some renovations and new rooms being built.” In 1820, under the reign of King William I of Holland, the castle was acquired through auction by a businessman who
then sold it piece by piece. As a result, it fell into a state of ruin. In 1827, William II bought back the ruin. In 1977, its last owner, Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, sold it to the Luxembourg State, and then the reconstruction started. Since restored to its former glory, the castle now ranks as a monument of not only regional but European importance. “It was difficult to reconstruct the castle identically because we do not have photographs, but we do have a copper image dating from 1643 providing evidence of its original appearance,” says Jessica Ersfeld. “There have also been excavations that provided more