Alden Biesen is a 16th-century castle in
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
, located in the small village of
Rijkhoven in the municipality of
Bilzen in the
province of Limburg.
Present day
The castle is used today as a cultural centre and conference centre. Festivals such as the Scottish weekend or the International Story Festival are held there. In addition, "European Classes" take place, intended to foster international learning and collaboration between students. The first ever RSPBA Major Pipe Band Championship held outside the UK was the European Pipe Band Championships held there in September 2003.
In addition to the moated castle, the complex contains a church and gardens.
History
The knights of the
Teutonic Order
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, commonly known as the Teutonic Order, is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was formed to aid Christians on ...
founded the ''Landcommanderij Alden Biesen'' ("commandery of Alden Biesen") in the 11th century, but the current buildings were constructed between the 16th and 18th centuries.
It was the headquarters of a bailiwick or province of the Teutonic Order in the region of the Maas and Rhine. On 8 March 1971 the building burnt down and was acquired by the government and restored.
See also
*
List of castles in Belgium
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby unio ...
References
Sources
Landcommanderij Alden Biesen website
External links
Official sitePhoto Gallery
{{Authority control
Bilzen
Castles in Belgium
Castles of the Teutonic Knights
Castles in Limburg (Belgium)