CLERVAUX CASTLE
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Clervaux is a town in the Ardennes region of Luxembourg, the far north on the Belgian border, and Clervaux Castle has many parallels with other Ardennes Castles. It is built around a central courtyard with an outer wall and two gatehouses.
The first Castle was built in the 12th Century by Count Gérard of Sponheim. In the 15th century the Castle was greatly enlarged by Frederic I of Brandenburg who first built the Tower of Burgundy and then later the other towers, including the delightfully named "Tower of the Witches". More building work followed in the 17th century, including the construction of the guard's quarters just inside the inner gatehouse which today is the site of the restaurant.
The Castle continued to grow and became a very comfortable residence, surviving unbroken until the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. On 19 December 1944 the Castle was reduced to a shattered ruin by German bombardment. It remained that way for some time but was eventually rennovated and today houses the photographic exhibition by Edward Steichen, "The Family of Man", as well as the usual museums and some leftovers from the Battle of the Bulge.
The Castle is owned by the local authority and is well-worth a visit, as is the rest of the attractive town of Clervaux.
© Text copyright - Raving Loony Productions and Andrew J. Müller
© Photos and Artwork - Andrew J. Müller
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2001
