| Willkommen auf Schloss Vianden! Vianden Castle is a beautifully situated castle in the rolling hills of Luxembourg. It was built between the 11th and 14th century on the ruins of a Roman castle and Carolingian refuge. Vianden's most grand rxxooms (the chapel and the main palace), was built in the 12th and early 13th centuries. Up until the 15th century the castle served as a seat of many influential counts that had a close relationship with the French and German imperial courts. In 1417, the dominion was inherited by the House of Nassau which in 1530, took the principality of Orange (a large region of modern Luxembourg-France). Nobody used the castle after that. It gradually began to deteriorate, and by 1820, under the reign of King William I of Holland, the castle was sold piece by piece. Starting with the furniture and finishing with the roof slates, Vianden was dismantled piece by piece. Of course it didn't take long to turn into a pile of rubble. "But how did it come to look as it does today?", you might ask. Well, in the year of 1977, the family of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg turned the into a state ownership. The castle was quickly restored to its former glory and is now a national symbol of Luxembourg. Vianden castle is a remarkable place to visit today. At night, lights under towering walls make the town below marvel at the huge structure. The small town that follows a road up to Vianden is just as remarkable as the castle. The historic streets and architecture are a fascinating sight. |