Durbuy Castle

Durbuy Castle, locally known as Château de Durbuy, lies in the town of the same name, in the province of Luxembourg in the Wallonia region in Belgium.

According to archives, a first castle was destroyed at this site in 900 A.D. But Durbuy has long been inhabited, archaeological finds in the town date back to Gallo-Roman and even prehistoric times.

In 1024, the estate was handed over to Henri I by his mother, Regelinde. Henri then built a castle here, which was destroyed by fire in 1156. In 1199, the rebuilt castle came into the hands of the Luxembourg family through inheritance.

Durbuy Castle was ravaged by the people from Liège during several wars, first in 1237 and again in 1317. Durbuy then served as the northern defense of the Duchy of Luxembourg and was especially aimed at resisting the expansionist ambitions of the city of Liège. In 1331, John of Bohemia granted Durbuy city rights, which now makes Durbuy claim the title of 'smallest city in the world.'

In 1412, Durbuy Castle passed to the House of Burgundy. In 1484 and 1492, the castle was seized and razed during the civil war between William I de La Marck and the Prince-Bishopric of Liège.

In 1628, Durbuy Castle was acquired by Anthony II Schetz, a military commander in Spanish service during the Eighty Years' War. Through inheritance, it subsequently belonged to the current Counts of Ursel. In 1636, the castle was damaged again during conflicts. During the Campaign of Maastricht in 1676, the castle was destroyed and ultimately dismantled by French troops.

Only in 1731 was the castle rebuilt by the then-Count of Ursel. Between 1880 and 1882, the castle was modernized and enlarged. During World War II, Durbuy Castle was occupied by German forces, and later by the Americans, who used it as a military hospital.

Currently, Durbuy is the private residence of the Count of Ursel and is not open to the public. It is a charming, small castle situated in a touristic, yet picturesque, little town.

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