6 (or 7) Luxembourg castles you have to visit

We repeat it every time we talk about the country, but here it fits more than ever: the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg It was born – and receives its name – from a fortress. This small strip of land wedged between great European powers was too greedy not to be obliged to defend itself – even so, it passed through Spanish, French, Burgundian and Prussian hands. Come on, not something else, but castles in Luxembourg there is no shortage of them. In fact, curling the curl, in one of the castles in Luxembourg We recommend there is a castle museum. What more could you ask for!

Nor is it about spending more time in the car than visiting the castles in Luxembourg, we have selected six that we consider essential. Six or seven? There are actually six, but one is double… We’ll explain when it’s your turn, patience.

Restored, in ruins, with views, with museums… but all with history. Do you come to visit castles?

Vianden Castle, the most famous of Luxembourg’s castles

The Vianden Castle It’s not just the Luxembourg’s most famous, is also the most visited historical monument in the country. We fell in love since we laid eyes on it for the first time from the viewpoint and it continued to conquer us when we walked through its doors. Living rooms, galleries, rooms, kitchens, chapels… We liked it so much, that we have written an article only about the visit to Vianden Castle.

The castle was built between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries, on Roman and Carolingian remains. Although what we see today is a reconstruction of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, because it was about to disappear… If you want to know how and why, we tell you in the article.

A few viewpoints -including a chairlift that takes you to the nearby hill-, a gallery full of arches to the mountain, its walls, its towers … You will also end up falling in love with him. And, since you go, also from the village of Vianden.

Bourscheid Castle, the largest in Luxembourg

The Bourscheid Castle has the honor of being the largest in Luxembourg. The one in Vianden, despite having the fame and tourists, is quite small. Of course, the Bourscheid is much worse preserved. Well, or better… because it has not been rebuilt. The outer wall, in front of the car park, seemed to us as imposing as it was impassable. Fortunately, nowadays you don’t have to besiege the castle to enter, just buy the ticket – or show the Luxembourg Card–.

It is still possible to appreciate the evolution of the castle of early eleventh to mid-fifteenth century, from its central area to the access door. We have to admit that not much is lifted from the ground – beyond the wall and the towers. The Bourscheid Castle it was auctioned piece by piece in the early nineteenth century. Maybe that’s why it’s the Gothic basement, with its semicircular arches, the area we liked the most.

And, as always in the castles, do not miss the Views of the surroundings from the top of the promontory.

We don’t think that’s the case, but you can Rent the castle to celebrate your birthday, your wedding or whatever you want. The building that you will see completely restored is used only for events and is not visited. You have all the details in your Official website.

The Château de Larochette and its soaring mansion

As in the castle of Bourscheid, there is little left standing of the Château de Larochette. Almost a thousand years of history and, above all, a fire that completely devastated it at the end of the sixteenth century are to blame.

Inside the castle, over time, five houses, mansions, independent were built. Of these, one has been restored after the purchase by the government and, for it alone, it is worth including the Château de Larochette on your route through Luxembourg. We talk about the Créhange Mansion of the late fourteenth century, with its wooden staircase to the second floor to keep it safe in case of siege, its rooms with high ceilings and wooden floors, its fireplaces, its views … There is even a bath. Yes, that wooden part protruding from the stone building is a bathroom.

You have more information in the web of tourism of Larochette.

The Château de Clervaux, The Family of Men and more museums

During the Second World War, specifically in the Battle of the Bulgethe Château de Clervaux It ended up completely destroyed by a fire.

After its reconstruction, the castle became museum. And not just any museum. You may not have heard of the Photography Collection The Family of Men nor Edward Steichen. We tell you: Mr. Steichen was the director of the photography section of MoMA and created a Collection of photographs from around the world with the aim of representing humanity in all phases of life, from birth to death. The first exhibition was at MoMA in 1955 and, afterwards, four copies toured the world. More than 10 million people watched. After eight years of exhibitions, the copies were saved and, in the ’90s, reached the Château de Clervaux. Why? Because Edward Steichen was Luxembourgish and, among the places he was offered, he chose this castle.

Since 2003, The Family of Men It is part of the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. A must-see in the country. You have all the information in the Official website.

He’s not the only one museum which houses the Château de Clervaux, we also found one on the Battle of the Bulge –which is not worth it, they are just giant dioramas with little information– and one of castles in Luxembourg, with models of the most important in the country – there is also that of Clervaux, such as one Matryoshka–.

The castles of Beaufort, two castles in one

It’s time to explain that “6 (or 7) castles of Luxembourg“. Not much mystery: Beaufort has two castles. It’s actually a bit more complicated… In the eleventh century the first Beaufort Castle. Over the years, some abandonment and due to its construction material, sandstone, was deteriorating. The fact is that, at the beginning of the seventeenth century, the Baron Jean de Beck –governor of the Duchy of Luxembourg– bought it to move his residence there. When he arrived and realized the money it would cost him to restore it, he decided to build a New Renaissance-style castle on the land he had just bought.

So, that said, two in one: a Medieval castle in ruins and one Renaissance fully furnished. Furnished? Yes, because the castle was inhabited by its owners until 2012. It was then that it passed into the hands of the government, which had bought it years ago although the owner kept her usufruct – moreover, the lady’s maid still lives in the castle.

We walked through Medieval torture rooms –which our guide explained to us that, despite their name, they had never been torture rooms– and by Rooms that had been used less than a decade ago. A contrast that makes the Five centuries of difference between one castle and another seem even more.

In addition to the rooms, kitchens, rooms and offices – fully decorated – of the Renaissance castle, you can also visit the Stables where there is a collection of carriages; the distillery there was a small production and sale of liquor; the Canning peas and green beans were canned, and the garden. The Renaissance castle can only be accessed with Guided tour.

You have all the updated information of schedules, prices and guided tours in your Official website.

The castle of Esch-sur-Sûre and its views

We have to recognize that the Castle of Esch-sur-Sûre There is practically nothing left. Why did we include it in the list then? Because what remains – very restored – is a tower from which we enjoy a beautiful view of the village of Esch-sur-Sûre and the mountains that surround it. Well, and because the castle was built in the X century And for more than 500 years it did not stop growing and expanding.

Let it not be said that you are not going to approach, that above the ruins are free and open access.

A small selection of castles in Luxembourg, because if there is a castle museum within a castle, it is clear that the entire list is much larger.