Berg Castle

Schloss Berg is a small Renaissance castle on the Upper Moselle in Germany. It stands on the edge of the Saarland town of Nennig, near the French and Luxembourg borders.

The original building was probably constructed as a moated castle in the 9th/10th century. In 1180, the knights Bovo and Reiner "de Berg" were mentioned as witnesses in a document from the Archbishop of Trier concerning a hereditary lease, and in 1202, Egidius von Berg was the lord of the castle. Arnold von Sierck acquired the castle in 1413.

Johann von Kriechingen und Pittlingen had the castle converted into a palace in 1580. This explains the visible Renaissance architectural style today, despite the originally medieval building. From 1760 onwards, ownership could not be clearly assigned, as it was divided among several principalities.

In 1769, France ceded its ownership rights to Empress Maria-Theresia, and after the Congress of Vienna, Schloss Berg came into Prussian possession in 1815. Schloss Berg passed into private ownership in 1910. In the winter of 1944/45, the castle was almost completely destroyed.

The Saarland became the owner in 1950 and had the castle rebuilt starting in 1955. It was used as a school country home from 1958 to 1984. Saarland Sporttoto GmbH acquired the castle in 1986 and had it converted into a hotel under the architects Bernhard Focht, Erich Fisabre, and interior designer Siegward Graf Pilati.

In 1990, the hotel and a casino in a modern extension were opened. From 1997, a private hotel chain became the new operator and in 1998 opened a gourmet restaurant in the castle with chef Christian Bau, who has been awarded three Michelin stars annually since 2010. In 2001, a larger luxury hotel with a wellness area and beauty farm was opened next to the castle. The castle was integrated into the hotel complex alongside the new building and a country inn (below the castle).