Bourscheid Castle

Located near the village of Bourscheid in north-eastern Luxembourg, the medieval castle stands majestically on a rock plateau high above the River Sauer (French Sûre), dominating the craggy Sauer Valley nestled amidst the foothills of the Ardennes. The centre of this extensive enclosure apparently dates back to a stone construction which, in turn, had replaced an earlier small wooden defensive fort. In fact, Bourscheid Castle has yielded traces of many different building eras, suggesting that the original structure was extended on several occasions: at some point, the massive circular wall with six watchtowers was added and, later, the so-called Stolzembourg House, which exists to this day. In the course of the 19th century, the castle decayed. In 1972, Luxembourg State acquired the ruins, which in the meantime had been declared a national monument, and as a result of some splendid restoration and reconstruction work, Bourscheid Castle could be opened to visitors. Towers, walls and laid open parts of the castle can be accessed via staircases. Labyrinth-like, the individual parts of the castle complex are strewn across the plateau, pierced with patches of grassland. Almost any position up there offers a spectacular view across the Sauer Valley. A particularly striking image is that of one reconstructed tower hanging on to a steep rugged rock, beneath it a long drop down the canyon. Also of interest is the Stolzembourg House, which from its position on the outer edge of the complex dominates the ensemble with its brick-adorned facade. Large parking lot beneath the castle (with direct and easy access to the complex). The Castle Café at the entrance could be used as green room.