SCHOENFELS CASTLE (KEEP)

Schoenfels was first mentioned in 846. The name has evolved over the centuries, through a number of variants, but it probably derives from scindula (shingle, shingles, shingle-making...), Schindel or Schinder (squarers). Schoenfels Castle dates back to 1292. It was built before the era of artillery by Ferri, also known as Friedrich von Schoenfels. It was then passed down through marriage to the Ansembourg and Sanem lordly families. In the early ^16th century, Henri Schloeder de Lachen, lord of Schoenfels and Busbach, became the owner, marking the entrance to the keep with the Schloeder von Lachen coat of arms. Despite its lack of strategic value, the fortress was dismantled from its fortifications in 1683 by the French, and in 1690, it fell victim to fire. It changed ownership many more times until 1948. The industrialist Camille Weis then acquired the château, which was transferred to the Luxembourg state in 1971. The mansion adjacent to the keep was demolished in 1976. After renovation of the keep (21 m high, the tallest in the region), Schoenfels Castle was destined to become a visitor center and offices for the Eaux & Forêts administration, preserving its rich historical heritage for future generations. At present, only the grounds are accessible.