Vianden Castle rises above the Our River valley as one of the most completely restored medieval fortresses in northern Europe â a palace of count-palatine ambition spanning the 11th to 14th centuries, its towers and great halls commanding the forested Ardennes landscape below.
What to see
- The Great Hall and the Count's residential apartments â among the most completely preserved Romanesque palace interiors in the region
- The Byzantine gallery and the chapel â exceptional Romanesque architecture of the 12th century
- The view over the Our valley and the town of Vianden from the castle ramparts â the descent back through the old town rewards as much as the castle itself
What to eat
- Judd mat Gaardebounen â Luxembourg's national dish of smoked collar of pork with broad beans, served in the restaurants in Vianden's main street below the castle
Take note
- Victor Hugo lived in exile in Vianden in 1871 and wrote of the castle's grandeur â his former residence in the town is now a small museum