CLERVAUX CASTLE

Located in the heart of the town, this feudal castle was founded in the 12th^century by the Counts of Clervaux, who first enlarged it in the 13th^century . At the beginning of the 15th^century , to protect the southern flank, Frederick ^I had the enormous Burgundy Tower built. In 1634, Count Claude de Lannoy ordered the construction of reception halls in the northern part, including the Spanish-Flemish Salle des Chevaliers. Barns, stables and administrative buildings were added by Albert Eugène de Lannoy in 1660 and, almost ten years later, the concierge's quarters (now occupied by a restaurant). In 1721, new stables were added to the complex. But in 1887, Albert Eugène de Lannoy's work was demolished and the stones reused to build a seigniorial residence for the Count of Berlaymont. The château was set on fire during the Battle of the Bulge and remains in ruins. At the end of the war, it became the property of the State, which undertook its restoration. Today, it houses the Clervaux town hall and several museums: the Luxembourg Castle Model Exhibition, the Battle of the Bulge Museum, featuring weapons and memorabilia from the Ardennes offensive (1944-1945), and the UNESCO World Heritage photographic exhibition "The Family of Man" by Edward Steichen.

Count Gérard de Sponheim: brother of the Count of Vianden, the Count of Sponheim was the first to appear in written texts dating back to 1129.

Count Simon de Clairval : in 1157, the count became head of the castle. His name (de Clairval) clearly evokes the Clervaux appellation.

The Meysembourg dynasty (1315-1406).

The Brandenbourg d ynasty (1406-1538).

The Heu dynasty (1538-1567): originally from Metz, they ruled over Clervaux castle until the middle of the ^16th century, before the arrival of the Lords of Eltz.

The Comtes de Lannoy (1631-1874): for almost two centuries, the Comtes de Lannoy, a powerful family from the Spanish Netherlands, watched over Clervaux.

Count Adrien de Berlaymont: in 1888, Count Adriende Berlaymont reclaimed the castle as a seigniorial residence, but unfortunately ended up abandoning this function, leaving the castle in a sad state of neglect. In 1894, he sold the Clervaux archives to the city of Metz, which fortunately retained them. When he died in 1914, his heir, heavily in debt, was unable to ensure the succession of such a fine estate begun in the ^12th century. Thus ended the line of the Lords of Clervaux.