Valley of the Seven Castles
Encyclopedia
'Valley of the Seven Castles' is an informal name given to the Eisch
valley, in central Luxembourg
. The valley stretches from the confluence with the Alzette
upstream to Steinfort
, on the border with Belgium
. The entire route can be traversed in about an hour by car, starting near the town of Arlon on the Belgian/Luxembourg border. There is also a 37-kilometre footpath that takes hikers along the valley and past the castles.
It is named after the group of seven castles that line its route. Those seven castles are (in order, heading upstream):
File:Mersch castle 1.jpg|Mersch Castle
File:Schoenfels3.JPG|Schoenfels Castle
Image:ChateauHollenfels.JPG|Hollenfels Castle
File:Old castle, Ansembourg, Luxembourg.jpg|Old castle, Ansembourg
File:Ansembourg New1.JPG|New castle, Ansembourg
Image:Septfontaines Castle.jpg|Septfontaines Castle
Image:Koerich castle 3.jpg|Koerich Castle
File:Valley of the Seven Castles Map.jpg|Valley of the Seven Castles Map
Eisch
The Eisch is a river flowing through Belgium and Luxembourg, joining the Alzette on its left in Mersch. It flows through the towns of Eischen, Hobscheid, Septfontaines, and Marienthal....
valley, in central Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
. The valley stretches from the confluence with the Alzette
Alzette
The Alzette is a river with a length of 73 kilometers in France and Luxembourg. It is a right tributary of the Sauer.It rises in Thil near the town Villerupt in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département, France. It crosses the border with Luxembourg after a few kilometres. In Lameschmillen it is joined...
upstream to Steinfort
Steinfort
Steinfort is a commune and town in western Luxembourg. It is part of the canton of Capellen, which is part of the district of Luxembourg., the town of Steinfort, which lies in the north of the commune, has a population of 2,184. Other towns within the commune include Hagen and Kleinbettingen....
, on the border with Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. The entire route can be traversed in about an hour by car, starting near the town of Arlon on the Belgian/Luxembourg border. There is also a 37-kilometre footpath that takes hikers along the valley and past the castles.
It is named after the group of seven castles that line its route. Those seven castles are (in order, heading upstream):
- MerschMersch CastleMersch Castle in central Luxembourg is one of the castles belonging to the Valley of the Seven Castles. Located in the centre of Mersch, its history goes back to the 13th century. Today the castle houses the administrative offices of the local commune....
- SchoenfelsSchoenfels CastleSchoenfels Castle , with a history dating back to the 12th century, is one of the castles belonging to the Valley of the Seven Castles in central Luxembourg. Located in the village of Schoenfels in the Mamer Valley between Kopstal and Mersch, it now belongs to the State of Luxembourg. -History:The...
- HollenfelsHollenfels CastleHollenfels Castle , with a history dating back to the 11th century, is one of the castles located close to the River Eisch in the so-called Valley of the Seven Castles in central Luxembourg...
- Ansembourg CastleAnsembourg CastleAnsembourg Castle , sometimes known as the Old Castle of Ansembourg, in central Luxembourg is one of the castles belonging to the Valley of the Seven Castles. Located high above the little village of Ansembourg, the medieval castle is still inhabited today.-History:The property is first mentioned...
- New Castle of AnsembourgNew Castle of AnsembourgThe New Castle of Ansembourg , in central Luxembourg is one of the castles belonging to the Valley of the Seven Castles. Located about one kilometre or just over half a mile below the Old Castle of Ansembourg, it was built by the industrialist Thomas Bidart in 1639.-History:In 1639, Thomas Bidart...
- SeptfontainesSeptfontaines CastleSeptfontaines Castle in central Luxembourg is one of the castles belonging to the Valley of the Seven Castles. Located high above the village of Septfontaines, the medieval castle is now privately owned.-History:...
- Koerich CastleKoerich CastleKoerich Castle is a ruin located in the village of Koerich in central Luxembourg. With a history dating back to the 12th century, it is one of the castles in the so-called Valley of the Seven Castles.-Location:...
File:Mersch castle 1.jpg|Mersch Castle
File:Schoenfels3.JPG|Schoenfels Castle
Image:ChateauHollenfels.JPG|Hollenfels Castle
File:Old castle, Ansembourg, Luxembourg.jpg|Old castle, Ansembourg
File:Ansembourg New1.JPG|New castle, Ansembourg
Image:Septfontaines Castle.jpg|Septfontaines Castle
Image:Koerich castle 3.jpg|Koerich Castle
File:Valley of the Seven Castles Map.jpg|Valley of the Seven Castles Map