Haus Raeren

Raeren, Belgium, Belgium

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Haus Raeren, also called Haus Schwartzenberg, is a small, well‑preserved 14th‑century water castle (donjon) in the village of Raeren in eastern Belgium, standing on Burgstraße immediately next to the larger Burg of Raeren.

Built in natural bluestone as a fortified residential and defensive tower surrounded by a water moat fed by the Itterbach, it has been altered only slightly over the centuries: larger windows were inserted, a new roof was added that partly covers an old defence walk, and a few 18th‑century French‑style windows were introduced, while the original moat, courtyard, and much of the medieval structure remain intact.

The building is a massive rectangular tower with an entrance from the east across a small courtyard and stone bridge; its basic form and thick stone walls clearly express its medieval origins, making it a typical example of a small, moated manor tower in the border region between Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.