Bourscheid Castle

First mentioned in records from 1095, the castle is believed to have been built around the year 1000 on earlier foundations in the County of Luxemburg, then part of the Holy Roman Empire. It underwent several expansions: the outer wall dates to 1350, the Stolzembourg house to 1384, and the courtyard to 1477. A late 15th-century gateway led to a defensive ditch with four towers, while the southern and eastern towers were added in 1498. Artillery bastions followed in the 16th century.

The upper castle was expanded in the 15th century, with a grand fireplace and chimney completed about a century later. After 1626, the House of Metternich owned the castle until the French Revolution ended their rule. In the late 18th century, Schenk von Schmidtburg attempted repairs but couldn’t halt its decline. The 19th century saw discussions about demolition after the chapel collapsed, but in 1936, the site was listed for preservation. In 1972, the State acquired the castle, encouraged by the Friends of the Castle of Bourscheid, and began restoration work.

Now open to visitors, the castle remains an open-air ruin. An audio tour is available in Luxembourgish, German, French, Dutch, and English, and historical archives have shed light on its past and former residents.