Details
Founded: 12th centuryCategory: Religious sites in Germany
Historical period: Hohenstaufen Dynasty (Germany)
Rating
User Reviews
The oldest part of the St. James parish church is the tower chapel (10th century) with two compact columns and cube-shaped capitals (Chapel of Grace today). The church was erected in the 12th century as the result of a vow made by Engelhard Brömser who had promised to build a church if he returned home safely from his captivity by the Moors. The Gothic hall church from the 14th/15th century is also a gift from the Brömser family. It was completely renovated in 1719. In 1766 a 'pigtail helmet' (onion tower) was added to the Romanesque church tower and a Baroque high altar was installed. An ambitious expansion of the parish church was carried out in 1913-1914. On 25 November 1944, the church was almost completely destroyed during a heavy bomb attack. Immediately after World War II, work began to rebuild the church as a hall church incorporating the preserved old parts. St. James' Church was consecrated in 1955.
References:Bouillon Castle was mentioned first in 988, but there has been a castle on the same site for a much longer time. The castle is situated on a rocky spur of land within a sharp bend of the Semois River.
In 1082, Bouillon Castle was inherited by Godfrey of Bouillon, who sold it to Otbert, Bishop of Liège in order to finance the First Crusade. The castle was later fitted for heavy artillery by Vauban, Louis XIV's military architect in the late 17th century.
The castle is entered over three drawbridges. The main courtyard then leads to the ducal palace with its 13th century Salle Godefroy de Bouillon. From there visitors climb up to the top of the 16th century Tour d’Autriche for a breathtaking panorama of the town and river, before they way back via the torture chamber, citerns and dungeons, and past the 65m deep well Shaft.