Bourscheid Castle-the largest in Luxembourg +1000 years old

Bourscheid Castle was built around the year 1000; the castle stands 500 feet above the River Sure and is enclosed by a circular wall with 11 watchtowers

Victor Hugo immortalized the castle when he wrote 2 of his carnets here and drew numerous sketches

Bourscheid Castle was built in a tight bend on the River Sure; it was impregnable by cliffs on 3 sides and had a drawbridge on the 4th

The Stolzembourg House was erected in 1384; it's just crazy to think how old all of this is!

This Gothic vaulted cellar lies beneath the Stolzembourg house and was built in 1384; restoration works are ongoing with a museum under construction

It's unusual to find a castle that doesn't occupy the highest piece of land around, but Bourscheid Castle actually lies beneath the town of Bourscheid

The River Sure had lots of families camping along it; I would have enjoyed the castle much more had there not been clear cutting of the forest behind it

The House of Bourscheid was replaced by that of Metternich in 1626, before the French Revolution put an end to feudal power

The last Lord of Bourscheid died without descendants in 1512; his heirs set up 3 different living quarters in the castle, one in the old palace and castle keep, another in the lower part of the upper castle and the last in Stolzembourg house

The lords of Bourscheid were loyal vassals of the Duke of Luxembourg; they were also his counselors and fought by his side during armed conflicts

The Castle courtyard was finished around 1477; Victor Hugo visited the castle in September 1865

The juxtaposition between 1000 year old castles and new wind turbines was seen many times around the country

European attractions tend not to be as expensive as American sights; Bourscheid Castle was only 5 euros and that included the audioguide and free parking

The outer circular walls of the castle were built between 1350 and 1384; the castle deteriorated over the centuries but the Luxembourg government bought it in 1972 and began excavations and rehabilitation

The castle was built for the lords of Bourscheid; they were among the most respected chivalric families in the region

I visited the Museum of Miniature Castles in Clervaux which shows Bourscheid Castle; it happens to be the largest in Luxembourg

Castle admission included an extensive audioguide that described the development of the castle over the centuries