1Schloss Vianden, Luxembourg

Despite its diminutive size, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is well-endowed with castles – more than 50 are spread across an area smaller than London’s metro area. The most spectacular of these is Schloss Vianden, poised high above the Our River in northern Luxembourg.

Built on the site of an ancient Roman fortress that protected the empire from barbarian invasion, the castle was constructed between the 11th and 14th centuries. Blending aspects of Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance design, it remained in royal hands until 1977 when the Grand Duke bequeathed it to the state. Vianden’s biggest annual bash is an August medieval festival with dueling knights, troubadours, jugglers and artisans.

 

 

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