Château de Malbrouck

Manderen-Ritzing

Built from 1419 to 1434 by Arnold VI, lord of Sierck, with the consent of the Duke of Lorraine, the castle of Meinsberg was declared "in a state of siege" as soon as it was completed. Its four corner towers — the Lantern Tower, the Witch's Tower, the Bald Rock Tower and the Ladies' Tower — linked by curtain walls up to 4.80 m thick, frame a three-storey residential range and a vast courtyard; a barbican, a drawbridge and gun-loops already adapted it to firearms. In 1439, Jacques de Sierck was consecrated Archbishop of Trier in its chapel. Passing to the families of Sayn (1531–1608) and Sultz, then to the Bettainvillers (1648), it earned its popular name in 1705: John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough — the "Malbrouck" of the song "Malbrough s'en va-t-en guerre" — briefly set up his headquarters here during the War of the Spanish Succession. Sold as national property in 1793, fallen into ruin, listed as a monument historique in 1930, it was bought in 1975 by the département of Moselle, which carried out a restoration costing more than 15 million euros from 1991 to 1998. Reopened in 1998, it has welcomed more than 1.5 million visitors.

Getting there : Above the village of Manderen (commune of Manderen-Ritzing, 57480), at the tripoint of France, Luxembourg and Germany near Sierck-les-Bains; departmental site open to visitors with exhibitions and events, parking at the foot of the château.

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound