Vianden Castle

Vianden Castle is a fortified castle situated in Vianden town in the North of Luxembourg. It is considered one of the largest feudal residences of the Romanesque and Gothic periods in Europe (Baker, 2013; Sheehan, 2017).

Built over the foundations of an ancient Roman castellum and a Carolingian refuge, the Vianden Castle was constructed during the period between the 11th to the 14th century A.D. by the Hohenstaufen dynasty and seat of the Counts of Vianden until the beginning of the 15th century (Baker, 2013). The Counts of Vianden were influential in this region (between the rivers Rhine, Mosel and Maas) and were related to the Royal Family of France and the German imperial court.

The Vianden Castle became a property of the House of Orange-Nassau in 1417. They owned it until the French Revolution (1789-1799) and by 1820, the castle was in the hands of King William I of the Netherlands [(1815-1840 A.D.) Sheehan, 2017]. He sold it to a businessman named Wenzel Coster, who sold the castle piece by piece including its roof tiles, doors and windows. As a result of this, the castle fell into a state of decay.

During World War II (1939-1945 A.D.), this place served as a defence location for the Luxembourg Resistance fighting the Nazis in the Battle of Vianden in 1944 (Sheehan, 2017).

 

The restoration works of this ruined property were started in 1966 and in 1977, the family of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg transferred it to State ownership. After that, major restoration works were carried out to restore the castle. Presently, it is used as a museum and as a venue for official State occasions.

1) Baker, M., 2013. Beyond Our World: The Exciting Story of a Treasure Hunter, Historian, and Adventurer. Dorrance Publishing. p.183.

2) Sheehan, P., 2017. Luxembourg. Cavendish Square Publishing, LLC. p.11. 

 

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This page was last updated on 29 August 2021