Château de Durbuy, Medieval castle in Durbuy, Belgium

The château de Durbuy, also called the château des Comtes d'Ursel, stands at the entrance of the town along the Ourthe. Its rough grey-beige stone walls carry rows of rectangular windows and small dormers under pitched slate roofs. Two tall round towers with dark conical roofs and finials dominate the left side, and a long wing extends to the right.

A first fortified castle was built around 889 and destroyed about a century later. In the 11th century Henri I of Namur, Count of Durbuy, had the fortress rebuilt. The Ursel family took over the estate in 1726 and became owner of the castle in 1756.

The castle has remained in the hands of the Count of Ursel family for centuries, making it a living symbol of Belgian nobility's long presence in the region. Its architecture visibly blends styles from different eras, reflecting how successive generations adapted the building to their own needs.

The castle stands at the entrance to Durbuy, along the Ourthe, and is seen from outside only; the building is privately owned by the Ursel family. Walk the riverbank and the streets of the old town on the rise above it for views of the towers and slate roofs. The slope below the walls is steep and overgrown, so stay on the paths.

The castle stands at the entrance to Durbuy, along the Ourthe. The Ursel family took over the estate in 1726 and became its owners in 1756, and the building is still known as the Château des Comtes d'Ursel. The round towers with conical roofs and finials, seen from the riverbank, are among the details visitors most often overlook.