The bulk of Vianden Castle dominates the small town lining the River Our in Ardennes region, Luxembourg. The fortress, founded in the 11th century, was home to the Counts of Vianden, ancestors of the royal House of Orange-Nassau. They enlarged it over the centuries, adding a keep, a chapel, residential rooms, a tower and a palace. The Renaissance-style Nassau Mansion was added in 1621, but the castle later fell into ruin, its contents sold and it was abandoned. The ruin passed to the Luxembourg State in 1977 and it has now been completely restored.
Vianden, Ardennes region, Luxembourg: by day or at night, the bulk of the restored Vianden Castle, one of the largest fortresses in Europe west of the Rhine, dominates the small town lining the banks of the River Our about 330 feet (100 metres) below the rocky promontory on which it stands. The castle was founded in the 11th century on the site of a Gallo-Roman fort or watchtower, then enlarged over the next 300 years. It was the seat of the powerful Counts of Vianden, ancestors of the royal House of Orange-Nassau. In about 1100, they added a square keep, a chapel and residential rooms to the original fortress and these were followed by a new tower and a new palace linked to a prestigious ten-sided chapel by a lavish gallery. In the mid-13th century, the entire castle was adapted from Romanesque to Gothic architectural style and in 1621 the Nassau Mansion was added in Renaissance style, complete with a banqueting hall. In the 1600s, however, the castle began to deteriorate after it was more or less abandoned by the counts and it also suffered both fire and earthquake damage. In 1820, a local merchant was allowed to sell off both the contents and the masonry piecemeal, reducing it to a ruin. Although limited repairs were made at various times, it was not until 1977 that the castle was ceded to the State, enabling its complete restoration. The work was completed in 1990. The castle was the scene of numerous battles in World War II. In November 1944 it was successfully defended by the Luxembourg Resistance against the German Waffen-SS and in February 1945, Vianden was the last place in Luxembourg to be liberated from Nazi occupation by American troops. The castle and town, set in beautiful countryside, are now a popular tourist attraction.
Size: 2832px × 4256px
Location: Vianden, Ardennes region, Luxembourg.
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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