Waldenburghaus

Waldenburghaus is a moated castle in Kettenis, a locality of Eupen in the German-speaking Community of Belgium. The building traces its origins to a much older estate known as Schloss Merols (formerly Hooghuys von Merols), a fief once held under the Marian Foundation of Aachen and first mentioned in a letter of enfeoffment dated 1266. From 1589 onward, the property was split into two separate holdings: Hof Merols (later Hagenhaus, today's Philippenhaus) and Schloss Merols, the estate known today as Waldenburghaus.

Where does the name Waldenburghaus come from?

The name derives from the von Waldenburg family, recorded as owners of the estate from 1661. The Waldenburgs held the property for 115 years, until 1776. It was during their long tenure that the building acquired the character and the name it still carries today, even though ownership later passed to others.

How did the castle's architecture develop?

The building itself was erected in the 16th century as a fortified house. A decisive transformation came from André von Waldenburg, a captain in a Spanish cavalry regiment, who converted the house into a proper castle and gave it the appearance it displays from the 18th century onward. That work produced the rectangular manor house seen today, paired with a three-winged farm courtyard of agricultural buildings.

What can visitors see at the site today?

The three-winged, U-shaped farm courtyard, built of quarry stone during the 17th and 18th centuries, has survived largely in its original form and historical structure. The whole ensemble — both the manor house and the farm buildings — is registered as a protected heritage site of the German-speaking Community of Belgium, with that designation dating from February 5, 2013. Waldenburghaus stands at Hochstraße 269, postal code 4701, in Kettenis (Eupen). The property remains privately owned and is not open to the public on the inside, but its exterior and surroundings — including the neighboring Philippenhaus, the former Hof Merols — can be admired while walking through Kettenis.

Frequently asked questions

Can Waldenburghaus be visited? No — the castle is privately owned and not open to visitors inside. The building and farm courtyard can be viewed from the outside.

How old is Waldenburghaus? The estate's roots go back to the 13th century, with a first documented mention in 1266, while the current castle building was erected in the 16th century and remodeled in the 18th century.

Where does the castle's name come from? From the von Waldenburg family, who owned the estate from 1661 to 1776.

Is Waldenburghaus a protected monument? Yes, the building ensemble has held protected heritage status in the German-speaking Community of Belgium since 2013.