Pettingen Castle Ruins, Pettingen, Luxembourg

Pettingen Castle is one of the best preserved fortified castles in the country. In the 10th century, the fortress was known as Pittigero Mazini but received the name of Pettingen in the 13th century. Towards the end of the Middle Ages, the Lords of Pettingen were important members of Luxembourg society. They were present at Ermesinde's wedding, at the coronation of Henri IV and at the signing of John the Blind's marriage contract.

At the beginning of the 14th century, Arnold of Pettingen married Marguerite of Rousy, the great grand-daughter of Ermisinde. He had a son, Arnold the Young, whose daughter Irmengard, by marrying Jean de Créhange, associated the Lords of Pettingen with his renowned family. Their grandson, also called Jean, fought for René, the Duke of Lorraine in the war against Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. In revenge, Charles completely destroyed the Castle of Pettingen whose treasures were confiscated by the Governor of Luxembourg in 1494. However, as a result of a decree made at the Great Council of Mechelen in 1503, half of the treasures were returned and the castle was reconstructed in its present form. The four corner towers were added in 1571. In 1684, Louis XIV's troops bombarded the castle, leaving it as it stands today. The ruins, which belonged to the house of Créhange, were inherited by the Comtes de Lapérouse whose descendents sold it to the Duke of Arenberg in 1837. In 1910, his descendent, the Prince of Arenberg, removed everything of value from the castle. In 1920, the southern wall collapsed.

In 1947, the castle was acquired by the State of Luxembourg. Consolidation work was carried out on the walls and on the castle's two towers in 1950. The ruins are open to the public. The ramparts with two round towers on the north-eastern side still stand. The site forms a 30 by 30 metre square surrounded by a former moat 15 metres wide fed by the Weillerbach which flowed into the River Alzette.

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Bengtskär Lighthouse

Towering 52 meters above the sea, Bengtskär lighthouse is the tallest one in Scandinavia. The building started in in 1905 after the shipwreck of S/S Helsingfors and was completed in 1906. The lighthouse was designed by architect Florentin Granholm. On December a special petrol lantern, designed and built in Paris, was brought to Bengtskär and installed atop the tower.

German fleet bombarded Bengstkär in the First World War in 1914. Since the Gulf of Finland was heavily mined, it was not until 1919 that the surrounding seas were declared safe for shipping, that the light was lit again.

After the war the military value of Bengtskär increased as part of the defence system of independent Finland. In Second World War (1941) Soviet Union made a suprise attack to island. After a bloody battle, the small Finnish garrison emerged victorious. Intermittent repairs to the facility continued during the post-war period.

Josh Holmberg (6 months ago)
Super cool. Neat little festival while we were there.

Stelios Plastiras (2 years ago)
Nice and calm place to enjoy afternoon walks with baby and your dog(if you have) Parking always available near There is a café nearby..... bring your water and light snacks at any case though

Aga Tokarska (2 years ago)
Old Castle small but really nice to see it. Youcan come and look for free. Small playground in the castle terrein.

Bernard Simon (2 years ago)
Nice little castle in a small village in Luxembourg near Mersch, visit by bike

Graham Gibbs (3 years ago)
Small, free castle remains with a playground now in the former moat. Definitely worth stopping by if you’re in the area or checking the Lux castles off your list.

Pettingen Castle Ruins

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