Wintrange Castle built around 1610 by Alexandre de Musset, the Lord of Foetz. The main building with its four towers still stands today. Fortifications and a gunport were added as defences during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648). The barn with a fifth tower was added in the 18th century. In 1938, the industrialist Nick Schlesser bought the property. The castle was badly damaged in the 1940s when it was used by the German troops during the Second World War and then by the American troops at the end of the war. Nick Schlesser's son, Henri, fully restored the building which is now owned by his son Philippe, who continues the restoration.
The castle is a historic landmark in the Moselle valley and is surrounded by a 1.5 hectare private park. Adjacent to the estate is the Haff Remich bird sanctuary and national park with lakes and ponds stretching down to the river.
The castle is privately owned and can be rented for weddings, events, movie and photo location, but is not open to tourists or guided tours. Visitors are admitted by appointment only.
References: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.