Château de Bouillon

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About Château de Bouillon

The Château de Bouillon sits on a rocky spur with three peaks above the town and a bend in the Semois. The earliest fortifications are very old, and the best-known written references date from the late 10th century. It is one of Belgium's oldest and largest medieval castles.

The central figure is Godofredo de Bulhão, who inherited the castle from his uncle. To finance his participation in the First Crusade in 1096, he ceded the fortress to Otbert, prince-bishop of Liège. Godofredo died in 1100 in Jerusalem. He was followed by the prince-bishops, the dukes of Bouillon from the La Tour d'Auvergne family and, in the 17th century, Vauban, Luís XIV’s military engineer, who strengthened the defenses. The fortress remained garrisoned until 1830.

The visit is a maze of corridors and rooms carved into the rock. The Salle Godefroy has an almost Gothic-style vault, and there is an old torture chamber. In the former arsenal, the Musée Scriptura tells the story of writing and schooling. The Tour d'Autriche offers 360-degree views over the town and the river bend.

In the main courtyard, falconry flights take place several times a day, generally from March until November 11. During school holidays there are torchlit night visits, and on some nights from April to November the projection L'Odyssée de Lumière illuminates the walls, by reservation.