Lontzen Castle

The origins of Lontzen Castle date back to 1289, when Knight Kuno von Lontzen sold the then-fortress to Count Gui of Flanders, before Kuno's son Heinrich reacquired it in 1293. Through marriage, the property passed to Thomas von Holsit and later to Katharina Pontz von Welkenhuysen. It is believed that Pontz von Welkenhuysen initiated a new construction, of which parts such as two towers and a section of wall remain. After the male line of the von Welkenhuysen family died out in 1495, the estate passed to the sisters Katharina and Margarete von Welkenhuysen, both of whom were nuns. In the early 16th century, ownership changed hands through purchase to Johann von der Neuerburg and later to other families. In 1578, Spanish troops under Alexandre Farnèse besieged the castle, which had to capitulate after three days. After the death of Wilhelm von Goldstein in 1598, his daughter Katharina inherited the castle, which passed to the Schellart family through her marriage to Count Johann Schellart von Obbendorf. In 1702, the main tower was blown up by French troops, causing significant damage to the complex. Count Heinrich von Harscamp, who acquired the castle in 1732, had it demolished in 1746, except for a few parts of the outer bailey, and replaced it with a two-story, eight-axis building with a mansard roof, reflecting the taste of the time. A stone arch bridge replaced the drawbridge over the moat. Subsequently, the castle changed owners several times, including Andreas Joseph von Grand Ry in 1845, who bequeathed it to his son Julius in 1848. Julius von Grand Ry had the manor house restored in 1853 and gave the main facade its current appearance. Later, it passed to Leo Nellessen and, through marriage, to the Ostmann von der Leye family. In 1970, a major fire destroyed large parts of the castle, which was only rebuilt after a change of ownership in 1985 and the clarification of insurance issues by Jos. Schiffer, becoming ready for occupancy in 1987.

Lontzen Castle is located in the municipality of Lontzen in the district of Liège in the Walloon region of Belgium. It stands at an elevation of approximately 233 meters above sea level.

Today, Lontzen Castle is privately owned. It serves as residential space for six families and was made habitable again after its reconstruction in 1987.

• Thor Castle (Castle), approx. 1.9 km away
• Mützhof Castle (Castle), approx. 2.0 km away
• Neuhaus Castle (Castle), approx. 2.5 km away
• Eyneburg (Castle), approx. 2.9 km away