Château Grand-Ducal

The castle's history began in 1845 when King William II acquired the property in Colmar-Berg to establish a suitable residence in Luxembourg. This occurred in the context of the Belgian Revolution, which separated Luxembourg from the Netherlands but maintained the personal union with the Dutch royal house. The constitution of 1848 confirmed the castle as the exclusive residence of the Grand Duke. Following the death of William III in 1890, who left no male heirs, the Grand Ducal dignity passed to Duke Adolf I of Nassau in accordance with Salic law. His successor, Grand Duke William IV, had the original castle demolished in 1906 and a new one built. Construction, designed by Max Ostenrieder and Pierre Funck-Eydt, took place from 1907 to 1911. During the Great Depression, the Grand Ducal family faced financial difficulties, leading to an agreement with the Luxembourgish government in 1934 that allowed for the sale of private properties to the state, which would then make them available to the family. In World War II, the castle was confiscated by the occupiers and used as a National Political Education Institute for girls, during which valuable artworks were stolen. After extensive restoration work, the castle was only reoccupied by the Grand Ducal family in 1964, following Grand Duke Jean's accession to the throne. Three of the four subsequent Luxembourgish rulers – Grand Duchess Marie-Adelaide, Grand Duchess Charlotte, and Grand Duke Jean – were born at Berg Castle.

The Château Grand-Ducal is situated in Colmar-Berg, a municipality in the Mersch canton of Luxembourg, at an elevation of approximately 229 meters above sea level.

Today, the Château Grand-Ducal serves as the official residence of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, making it an active site of Luxembourgish state life.

• Château de Birtrange (Castle), approx. 1.3 km away
• Château de Pettingen (Castle), approx. 5.1 km away
• Château d'Erpeldange (Castle), approx. 5.3 km away
• Château de Mersch (Castle), approx. 7.5 km away