French guide tour in the garden
Built from the first half of the seventeenth century as "House Forges" by Thomas Bidart, pioneer iron industry, the Grand Castle Ansembourg experienced a significant transformation in the eighteenth century, when the heirs of Thomas Bidart found themselves elevated to Baron (1728) and Earl of Marchant and Ansembourg and Count of the Holy Roman Empire (1749-1750).
The gardens were laid out in 1750 and are adorned with statues, stairs and decorative fountains in the garden style regular time.
Since 1987, the castle has belonged to Sûkyô Mahikari who has undertaken substantial renovation work with the assistance of Luxembourg's Service des Sites et Monuments nationaux. Initially work was centred on reinforcing the foundations and walls and on restoring the staircase of honour on the upper terrace in the gardens. From 1999, the statues and the fountains in the garden were repaired while the roofs over the two wings and the central section were rebuilt. Work is now concentrated on restoring the oldest part of the building which dates from the 17th century
Belgian hero Ambiorix (leader of a Belgic tribe of north-eastern Gaul against Julius Caesar)
