En un regard
Le château en bref
Dalhem Castle was the seat of the Counts of Dalhem, built on a spur overlooking the centre of the village, between the valleys of the Berwinne and the Bolland. According to one source consulted (castles.nl), it is said to have been founded between 1076 and 1080 by the Palatine Count Hermann II to control the routes on the right bank of the Meuse towards Maastricht, Tongeren, Liège, Huy and Aachen; this dating remains to be verified. Beneath the castle a castle town developed, inhabited by the county's officials, craftsmen and merchants, of which remnants of its walls and the Wichet tower survive. The County of Dalhem expanded over the centuries, notably at the expense of the Duchy of Limburg. In 1648, Dutch soldiers stormed and destroyed the fortress, which fell into ruin. Only a substantial stretch of wall remains, on Rue Général Thys, on private property where a modern house and a garden now stand. The remains of the castle of the Counts of Dalhem are protected as classified heritage of Wallonia (reference 62027-CLT-0001-01), as are their surroundings. It should not be confused with Château Francotte, a more recent residence in the same municipality.
