Haute Roche Castle

Haute Roche Castle, locally known as Château de Haute Roche or Château de Dourbes, lies south of the village of Dourbes, in the province of Namur in the Wallonia region in Belgium. Its name translates to 'High Rock'.

Haute Roche Castle is situated on a roughly 50-meter-high rocky promontory overlooking the valley of the Viroin River.

I don't know exactly when it was built; several sources contradict each other. However, there was likely a castle at this site as early as the 9th century. Archaeological excavations have even shown signs of Gallo-Roman use of the site.

The current castle was probably built at the end of the 13th century. Its history has always been closely linked with nearby Fagnolles Castle. Families associated with the castle include De Jauche, De Berlaymont, Egmont, Pignatelli, and d'Arenberg.

In the early 16th century, the castle was reinforced with a new gatehouse and an advanced defensive wall designed to withstand gunfire. In 1554, however, the castle, along with many other fortifications in the area, was besieged and captured by Constable Anne de Montmorency, who was serving King Henri II of France.

A year later, William 'the Silent', Prince of Orange, reconquered the area and dismantled Fagnolles Castle. Haute Roche Castle likely met the same fate. Afterward, the castle fell into ruin.

The isolated site of the castle is separated from the plateau by a large, hand-cut ditch. It features a square keep with 2.5-meter-thick walls that would have originally been at least 13 meters high.

Today, Haute Roche Castle is a beautifully situated ruin. I especially liked the gate. It is freely accessible—just park below and walk up the hill for about five minutes.

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