Schoenfels Castle: A Medieval Fortress in Luxembourg

Visitor Information

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Country: Luxembourg

Civilization: Medieval European

Remains: Military

History

Schoenfels Castle is located in the Mamer valley near Mersch, Luxembourg. It was originally built in 1292 by Friedrich von Schoenfels, marking its origins in the late medieval period. The castle’s ownership passed through marriage to the lords of Ansembourg and later to the Sassenheim family, reflecting the common practice of property transfer through noble alliances.

In the early 1500s, Henri Schloeder von Lachen acquired the castle. His family’s coat of arms was placed above the entrance to the main tower, known as the donjon, signifying his ownership. Despite its imposing structure, the castle held limited military importance. In 1683, French forces under King Louis XIV dismantled its fortifications, reducing its defensive role.

On June 22, 1690, the castle and the surrounding village were set on fire during a conflict involving Théodore de Neunheuser and the lord of Brandenburg. This event caused significant damage and marked a period of decline. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the castle changed hands several times. In 1759, Pierre-François de Gaillot de Genouillac acquired it through marriage. Later, in 1813, Jean-Baptiste Thorn purchased the estate; he later served as governor of the Belgian province of Luxembourg from 1831 to 1839. Thorn’s ownership coincided with political tensions between Belgium and Luxembourg, including his arrest by grand-ducal authorities in 1832.

Following the 1839 partition of Luxembourg, Schoenfels Castle became part of Luxembourg’s territory permanently. In 1840, Belgian senator Jacques Engler bought the property and transferred it two years later to his son-in-law, Baron Auguste Goethals. In 1870, Goethals constructed a manor house next to the donjon, which was later demolished by the Luxembourg state in 1976.

The castle later passed to the Van den Poll family before being sold in 1948 to Camille Weiss, a wood merchant. The Luxembourg state acquired the property in 1971. Since then, restoration efforts have been underway, with plans to convert the site into a visitor center and offices for the forestry administration.

Remains

The only surviving medieval structure at Schoenfels Castle is the donjon, a large tower that once formed the castle’s central stronghold. The donjon measures about 17 by 13 meters at its base and rises to a height of 21 meters. Four turrets are positioned at each corner, giving the tower a distinctive vertical silhouette.

Constructed in the late 13th century, the donjon was built using traditional stone masonry techniques of the period. In the 19th century, the tower underwent remodeling in the neo-Gothic style, including the addition of a new roof, likely during Baron Goethals’ ownership. The entrance to the donjon features heraldic decoration displaying the arms of the Schloeder von Lachen family, linking the structure to its early 16th-century owner.

No traces remain of the original defensive walls or other fortifications, as these were dismantled by French troops in the late 17th century. The manor house built beside the donjon in 1870 was removed in 1976 by the state, leaving the donjon as the sole standing structure.

Today, the donjon is undergoing restoration. The castle grounds and garden remain accessible, but the tower itself is closed to the public. Plans for the site include establishing a visitor center focused on the nearby nature reserve and offices for the Luxembourg forestry administration.