Alden Biesen Castle

The origins of Alden Biesen date back to 1220, when Count Arnold III of Loon and his sister Mathildis donated a chapel and lands to the Teutonic Order. This led to the development of a commandery with a hospital. By 1317, Biesen was an independent bailiwick, holding a prominent position due to its extensive landholdings. Around 1362, the Order moved its headquarters to Maastricht, and the old commandery was thereafter called Alden Biesen. From 1543, under Landkomtur Winand von Breill, the construction of a moated castle in the Maasland Renaissance style began, completed by 1566. A forecourt followed (from 1571) and a chapel (1634-1638). In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the fortified complex was transformed into a Baroque residence under Landkomturs like Hendrik van Wassenaar and Damian Hugo von Schönborn, including an ornamental garden and orangery. Caspar Anton von der Heyden gave the castle its current Neoclassical appearance between 1769 and 1775, and an English landscape park was created in 1785/86. After the French occupation, the castle was confiscated in 1794 and auctioned in 1797, subsequently falling into disrepair. A fire in 1971 destroyed large parts of the buildings. The Belgian state acquired the ruins and restored the entire complex over the following 20 years to its 18th-century appearance.

Alden Biesen Castle is located in the Rijkhoven district of the city of Bilzen in the province of Limburg, which belongs to the Flanders region in Belgium. The complex is situated at an elevation of approximately 80 meters above sea level.

Today, Alden Biesen Castle can be visited and houses a museum. The complex also serves as a cultural center for the Flemish community and presents a permanent exhibition on the history of the Teutonic Order.

• Château Neercanne (Castle), approx. 10.7 km away
• Fortress Liège-Fort d'Ében-Émael (Fortress), approx. 12.3 km away
• Kasteel de Hoogenweerth (Castle), approx. 12.8 km away
• Kasteel Bethlehem (Castle), approx. 13.7 km away