Castles of "Belgium" FRANCHIMONT CASTLE vs HARZÉ CASTLE

FRANCHIMONT CASTLE

Franchimont Castle (French: Château de Franchimont) is a medieval castle in the municipality of Theux, Liège Province, Belgium. It sits at the western...

Franchimont Castle (French: Château de Franchimont) is a medieval castle in the municipality of Theux, Liège Province, Belgium. It sits at the western end of a small hill 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of the village of Theux, a sub-municipality. It is thought to have originally been built in the 11th century, as a stronghold of the Prince-Bishopric of Liège. The original building was extended several times during the Middle Ages, once after a fire in 1387. In 1487 the castle was besieged, and around the same period the La Marck family took ownership of it. In the early 16th century the outer wall was built, with casemates and an artillery tower added. The prince-bishops of Liège took the title of Marquis of Franchimont at the start of the 16th century, with Franchimont Castle serving as the base of the Marquessate of Franchimont. The Marquessate was a small province of the Prince-Bishopric, six leagues long by four leagues wide, bounded in by the Duchy of Limburg (to the east), the Duchy of Luxemburg (fragmented, to the south and the west) and the Princely Abbey of Stavelot-Malmedy (fragmented, to the south and the northwest).

Read more ↓ Vote

HARZÉ CASTLE

Harzé Castle (French: Château de Harzé) is a castle in the village of Harzé in the municipality of Aywaille, Liège Province, Belgium. Starting in O...

Harzé Castle (French: Château de Harzé) is a castle in the village of Harzé in the municipality of Aywaille, Liège Province, Belgium. Starting in October 1944, during the closing months of World War II in the European theatre, the castle was the headquarters of the United States Army's XVIII Airborne Corps, under the command of Major General Matthew Ridgway. The castle provided Ridgway's headquarters with a strategic location in the Ardennes, close to the German border. That December, the corps played a significant role in halting the 5th Panzer Army of Nazi Germany in the Battle of the Bulge.

Read more ↓ Vote