2023-10-24 07:19:53
It’s one of those autumn days when the sky is so deep blue, as if it were painted. No haze, hardly a cloud – and a straightforward announcement: “This is your room!” Says the lady of the castle, who looks nothing like a lady of the castle: in rubber boots, she greeted the guests coming across the driveway from the field easy gravel path, drove up to the castle. Her jeans are dirty, the blouse has seen better days.
Virginie Noulet’s parents bought Ansembourg Castle, surrounded by dense forest, for her in 2022: a home in which she can realize her life’s plans. The fortified castle from the 12th century stands majestically on a rock, 80 meters above the Eisch river valley. The 45-year-old is what you would call a dropout: she gave up her job as a logistics expert. She lives largely self-sufficiently on the property with her partner and three children. The three girls are homeschooled, organic farming supplies the food, and six rooms are rented out.
The bed-and-breakfast accommodations are equipped with modern amenities but are more simply furnished; The castle is only medieval on the outside, not in the guest rooms. “The castle is my home,” says Noulet and points to the bridge to the main wing: “After the bridge, everything is private” – she lives there with her family in another ten rooms on 800 square meters.
Source: Infographic WELT
Ansembourg Castle is part of the Valley of the Seven Castles in the Guttland region, which has the highest concentration of medieval buildings in Luxembourg. Victor Hugo described it as a “vallée mystérieuse”, a mysterious valley. Between the towns of Mersch and Koerich, the seven castles sit between meadows and forests, always in a convenient location.
In addition to Ansembourg Castle and Palace, approximately in the middle of the route, these are Hollenfels, Schoenfels, Mersch, Koerich and Septfontaines. Visitors simply follow the signs “Vallée des 7 Châteaux”. The Seven Castles hiking trail is also signposted, but a little longer because it follows the winding course of the Eisch river.
Ansembourg is the only town in the valley with a castle and palace
Almost all palaces and castles can be visited all year round and free of charge. However, due to the ownership structure, this only partially applies to Ansembourg Castle and Mersch Castle. Septfontaines Castle is not allowed to be entered; you can only see it from a distance. If you like, you can even spend the night in medieval walls on the tour – this is possible in the aforementioned Ansembourg and at Hollenfels Castle, where families with children and young people up to the age of 25 can stay, but only in shared rooms with bunk beds.
Count Gaston-Gaetan of Ansembourg was in possession of Ansembourg Castle until 2022. With the sale, after eight centuries, nobility and male rule came to an end and matriarchy took hold. “We live according to ecological and shamanic principles,” says Virginie Noulet, “Without men. Without stress. Without burnout.” You don’t have to follow their philosophy, but the property is still a place to relax and recharge your batteries.
Ansembourg Castle has belonged to the Sukyo Mahikari sect from Japan since 1986
Source: Jochen Müssig
Ansembourg is the only town in the valley with a castle and palace. An ironworks manufacturer, who became rich from iron ore, first built a forge and foundry, which can still be seen today, and finally the castle above them in 1639 (it is only a few hundred meters from Noulet’s castle). After several changes of ownership, it has belonged to the Sukyo Mahikari sect from Japan since 1986. Its members are practically never seen in town. The interior of the castle is sealed off, but the state – the interim owner – stipulated during the sale that the castle courtyard and gardens would remain accessible.
And so you step through the magnificent entrance gate, pass the weathered, enchanted-looking castle to get to the highlight, the terraced and well-kept castle park. Geometrically shaped hedges, symmetrical lawns, fountains, mirror ponds that reflect the sky and ancient stone figures make Ansembourg a kind of Little Versailles.
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The mythological avenue in particular, flanked by figures from Greek and Roman antiquity, including Hermes and Hercules, Venus and Diana, as well as sphinxes with European faces, makes the garden extremely stately. Suddenly a window opens at the top of the castle. “Hello!” the visitor calls out spontaneously and in a friendly manner, but just a moment later it closes again with a loud bang, contact doesn’t seem wanted.
One of the properties can be purchased
It’s only a stone’s throw from Ansembourg to Hollenfels Castle. It’s like a schoolyard during recess: a babble of voices at all levels and loud children’s laughter. “Each year, 8,000 young people visit us to sharpen our perspective on the future in a historical setting,” says Eric Schweicher, castle lord and administrator. The much younger extensions to the ancient castle serve as a youth hostel and youth center for environmental education. Seminars are held in the knight’s hall of the castle keep, with knight’s armor in the bay windows providing an impressive historical backdrop.
Hollenfels is a mighty stone witness to the Middle Ages: The castle lies on a 315 meter high ridge, is impregnable on three sides and is secured with a drawbridge on the fourth side. The 39 meter high keep from the 14th century, a corner tower, a piece of the main wall and the moat have been preserved. However, the Hollenfels family has long since died out.
Schoenfels Castle, built in 1292, now houses a small museum
Source: Jochen Müssig
Compared to Hollenfels, Schoenfels Castle appears almost delicate and stylish with battlements and bay window turrets, although Friedrich von Schoenfels built the complex as a fortified castle in 1292, before artillery was invented. A small museum is open all year round.
There is also a castle museum in Mersch, where the 13th century castle is located right in the center of the town. It is housed in the former castle chapel. The actual castle is not open to visitors, as the mayor resides there today, with an office in the knight’s hall.
The castle ruins in Koerich fascinate with walls up to three meters thick and 15 meters high
Source: picture-alliance/dpa/Weihmann
Koerich Castle from the 13th century is also a lowland castle and is located in the center of the town of the same name. It has not been inhabited for almost 300 years and is now a ruin. However, with stately walls up to three meters thick and 15 meters high as well as the square keep: “It is also called the Witch’s Tower because women who were accused of witchcraft were locked up in it,” explains the on-site guide. From the floor plan you can see how pompous the castle once was. The ruins are freely accessible at any time – unless someone has booked the castle courtyard for a celebration.
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The last of the seven stately properties is Septfontaines – the castle towers over the village of the same name, which is called Simmern in German. It dates back to the 12th century and is privately owned. This means: Unfortunately, you are not allowed to visit them; the stately walls can only be viewed from the valley or from the hill opposite.
Anyone who has always wanted to become the lord of the castle has an opportunity here: Septfontaines Castle is for sale. As we hear locally, it was first offered for eight, then for five and finally for 3.5 million euros. Absolutely a bargain.
Tips and information for Luxembourg:
Getting there: Mersch can be reached from Luxembourg City in just under 20 minutes by car or train (16 kilometers). The best starting point for the Seven Castles Tour is Mersch in the Eisch Valley. If you don’t want to do the 27-kilometer tour through the Vallée des 7 Châteaux by car, you can take the hiking trail of the same name (36 kilometers one way, visitguttland.lu/de).
The Locks: All properties, except Septfontaines, are accessible free of charge even in winter; depending on the property, only parts are open. Opening times and further information: carena-vela.lu (Burg Ansembourg), gcansembourg.eu (Ansembourg Castle), erliewen.snj.lu/hollenfels (Hollenfels, interior tour only on request), ksf.lu (Koerich), mersch.lu (Mersch and Schoenfels).
Accommodation: You can stay in the Bead & Breakfast at Ansembourg Castle (double rooms from 200 euros, carena-vela.lu) and is expected to be back at Hollenfels Castle from 2024, the facility is currently closed for renovation (youth hostel with shared rooms from 18 euros per person, youthhostels.lu).
Information: visitluxembourg.com
Participation in the trip was supported by Visit Luxembourg. Our standards of transparency and journalistic independence can be found at axelspringer.com/de/werte/downloads.
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