If you share my love and fascination with castles, then it is worth a detour to visit the Vianden Castle. It took three hundred years to construct this magnificent, medieval stronghold perched on a hill. Along the way you will be treated to Luxemburg’s scenic beauty.
Less than 2,000 Luxembourgers live in the delightful town of Vianden. It is located in the Oesling region along the Our River in northeast Luxembourg near the German border. Its history dates back to the Gallo-Roman times and it was the last town in the country to be liberated from the Germans during World War II. It is a popular tourist destination for neighboring Europeans.
96 Grand-Rue 9411 Vianden, Luxembourg Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
Perched about 328 feet from the row houses in the Our River Valley is this spectacular medieval fortress called Château de Vianden. It was the residence of counts from the 11th through the early 15th centuries. The castle stands over 1,017 feet to the top of the cross on its spire and it is about 295 feet long. It is now one of the finest Romanesque fortresses in Europe.
Vianden Castle Montée du Château, 9408 Vianden, Luxembourg Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
A military fort called a castellum was built on this hill during the Roman Gothic period. Construction on the Vianden Castle began in the 11th century and continued for about three hundred years. A further expansion occurred in the 17th century. After falling into ruins during the 19th century, the fortress was fully restored. Today, Vianden Castle is a fascinating history museum.
Vianden Castle Montée du Château, 9408 Vianden, Luxembourg Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
From the courtyard on the valley side of the Vianden Castle you get your first glimpse of the Byzantine Gallery on the second floor. Across its 92 foot length are six trefoiled windows supported by ornate Romanesque columns and capitals. When the castle was built in the 12th century, there were 88 of them but most were damaged so these are reproductions.
Vianden Castle Montée du Château, 9408 Vianden, Luxembourg Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
This close up view of the Vianden Castle is from the courtyard. Behind this fortified wall are the lower and upper chapels, the latter which has an interesting history. In the 12th century, the parishioners of Vianden had to attend mass in Germany at the Basilica of Roth. After the chapel was built, the German archbishop became so angry that he had Henry I, who was known as the Sun Count, excommunicated in Rome.
Vianden Castle Montée du Château, 9408 Vianden, Luxembourg Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
Inside the Vianden Castle are numerous exhibits, including period furniture, mock-ups of its architectural history, an art collection, and military artifacts like this ornate suit of armor which is in the Knight’s Study room. Called plate armour, it first appeared in Medieval Europe and was used by soldiers from the 14th through the end of the 17th century when firearms made them obsolete. A full steel suit like this one weighs about 35 to 55 pounds.
Vianden Castle Montée du Château, 9408 Vianden, Luxembourg Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
In 1519, Italian Renaissance artist Raphael created ten tapestries that portrayed scenes from the Acts of Apostles to adorn the Sistine Chapel. Soon, European rulers had them copied like this 16th century one displayed at Château de Vianden. It shows St. Peter and Barnabas who, shortly after curing a cripple (on the left) are preventing a crowd from slaughtering an oxen because they believed they were Jupiter and Mercury.
Vianden Castle Montée du Château, 9408 Vianden, Luxembourg Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
This exquisite room with vaulted ceilings and orange braiding that accents the arches and columns is the Chapelle Superieure, commonly called the Upper Chapel in the Château de Vianden. The nobles sat on this second floor while the common parishioners sat down a level and listened through the hole in the foreground. When the chapel was built in the 12th century, it was dedicated to St. Anthony. It was extensively restored in 1851 and again in 1979 before the castle opened to the public as a museum.
Vianden Castle Montée du Château, 9408 Vianden, Luxembourg Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
To enter the Vianden Castle, you need to drive or walk up a hill, cross a drawbridge and then pass through five gates. Next to this northeast entrance is the tall Black Tower which seems to be a misnomer because it is cream colored.
Vianden Castle Montée du Château, 9408 Vianden, Luxembourg Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions
Timing is everything. It was a beautiful sunny day when I visited the Vianden Castle. After stepping out onto the Inner Courtyard on the second floor, I was going to take photos of the beautiful Our River Valley below, but I was having too much fun exploring the château. When I returned, someone had started a fire to burn brush that had been cleared from a farm, so thick smoke was drifting across the lush green gorge.
4 Route de Diekirch, 9409 Vianden, Luxembourg Enlarge/Slideshow See On Map Directions