Ruines du chateau d'Amblève

Aywaille, Belgium, Belgium

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The Ruines du château d’Amblève (also called château d’Emblève or Neufchâteau-sur-Amblève) are the remains of a medieval fortified castle dramatically situated on high granite cliffs above the river Amblève in the village of Emblève, part of the municipality of Aywaille in Liège province, Wallonia, Belgium.

The site is first mentioned in 741, when it was said that Griffon, son of Charles Martel, had been imprisoned there, and the castle is generally dated to the 10th century, when it was built by a lord of the Bellevaux family, serving as the seat of justice and residence for the rulers of the nearby territory of Sprimont.

Over the centuries the castle was repeatedly involved in conflicts and suffered damage, but remained in use until in 1578 the governor of the Spanish Netherlands ordered its demolition, and inhabitants were allowed to use the ruins as a quarry for building material, leaving only the stone walls and structures that still stand today.

The ruins are now protected as a historic monument (classified in 1953) and, although they are on private land and not generally open for unrestricted entry, they can be seen from nearby public walking trails, including sections of the GR footpath network, and are reached via a 4 km loop hike that climbs from the valley to the cliff top, offering panoramic views over the river and the surrounding forested landscape.