Millen Castle

Millen Castle, locally known as Waterburcht Millen, lies in the village of Millen, in the province of Limburg in the Flemish region in Belgium.

Millen Castle was first mentioned in 1365. The square keep, which predates the castle, had already developed into a square water castle with a projecting gate tower and circular flanking towers at the two corners by then.

In 1489, the castle was besieged and captured, causing significant damage. At that time, it was owned by Arnold van Barlo, a servant of the Prince-Bishop of Liège.

In 1591, the castle came into the hands of the Fléron family, who transformed the decaying fortress into a more comfortable manor in the style of the Mosan Renaissance.

After the 18th century, the castle was no longer permanently inhabited, leading to its decay. This resulted in the collapse of the residential wing in 1774.

In the early 19th century, the castle had become a ruin, and large parts were torn down. The remaining east and west wings were converted into farm buildings.

In 1972, the municipality of Millen purchased the castle remnants to prevent further deterioration.

During the 1990s, the castle was restored, and it now serves as one of four visitor centers along a bicycle and car itinerary network themed "Castles and Fortifications in the Eu-region Meuse-Rhine." However, don’t have high expectations for the visitor center itself, it's very minimal. It's a shame because it could be much more developed. Nonetheless, the castle is charming, and I believe the restorations were done with style.

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