LAROCHETTE CASTLE

The Lords of Larochette, thought to have descended from the House of Ouren, appeared towards the end of the 12th^century . They quickly became influential and the most loyal vassals of the Count of Luxembourg. The ruins of Larochette castle, situated on a promontory of Luxembourg sandstone, tower some 150 m above the valley of the Ernz Blanche, a confluence of the Sûre. Access to the spur passes through a vast bailey protected by an earthen fortification. The main castle, built of ashlar, is surrounded by an enclosure, now largely destroyed. A deep moat, partly of natural origin, divides the château into two parts. At the end of the 16th^century , a fire destroyed the castle, which has been in ruins ever since. However, two of the fortress's five manor houses (in addition to those of the ten families responsible for its upkeep) are still visible: the maison de Hombourg and the maison de Créhange. The House of Hombourg was built in 1350, as a result of the alliance between brothers Frédéric and Conrad, Lords of Hombourg, and sisters Irmgard and Mathilde de Larochette. It was consolidated and its cellar restored in 1987 and 1988. The Créhange house was built around 1385 and completely restored between 1983 and 1987.

The castle has been the property of the Luxembourg State since 1979. Archaeological studies and restoration work are ongoing, and temporary exhibitions are held on a regular basis.