Thurant Castle

Alken, Germany, Germany

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Thurant Castle is a medieval spur castle perched on a broad slate hill above the village of Alken in the Moselle Valley of Rhineland‑Palatinate, Germany, and is one of the oldest castles along this stretch of the Moselle River.

It was originally built around 1197 by Count Palatine Heinrich of the House of Welf to commemorate the Syrian fortress Thuron, and from the late 13th century onward it functioned as a double castle, with two separate residential wings serving the Archbishops of Trier and Cologne.

Over the centuries the castle was repeatedly damaged and gradually fell into disrepair, especially after the War of the Palatine Succession in the late 17th century, but parts were later rebuilt starting in 1911 when the site was acquired by private owners.

Today Thurant Castle is a privately owned ruin that is open to visitors for several months each year, combining atmospheric old towers and halls with well‑kept gardens and offering panoramic views over the Moselle River and the surrounding vineyards.