Saive Castle

Saive Castle, locally known as the Vieux Château which translates to the Old Castle, lies in the village of Saive, just east of the town of Liège, in the province of Liège in the Wallonia region in Belgium.

Although the castle itself dates back to the 13th century, the keep was likely built earlier, in the 12th century. It was protected by double defensive walls, towers, and a moat. The castle sits on a steep, rocky hill overlooking the valley of the Julienne River and nearby roads. The square keep measures 10 by 10 meters and stands 20 meters tall, with walls at its base that are 2 meters thick.

The castle's history is tied to the Principality of Liège. Its first known lord was Jean de Jupille, succeeded by the Charneux family in the 14th century. After a series of owners, the de Ryckel family purchased the castle in 1458. From then on, the castle also endured the ravages of the civil war that devastated the area.

Its lord, Jean de Ryckel, sided with the infamous William de La Marck, who was called the "Wild Boar of the Ardennes" because of his bloody campaigns at the end of the 15th century. During these times, William's brother, Erard III de la Marck, occupied the fortified castle several times with his troops until William was captured and executed. When Prince-Bishop Jean de Homes returned to Liège, he ordered the partial demolition of Saive Castle.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the title of Lord of Saive was fiercely contested by several families. The castle was damaged in the process and had to be partly rebuilt at the start of the 17th century.

In 1692, the seigniory of Saive was sold to the Méan family, who built a new mansion and showed little interest in the old Saive Castle. They attempted to rent out the castle, but no one was willing to do so. As a result, the castle fell into ruin, and the keep's roof collapsed in the early 20th century.

Today, the current owners of the castle ruins live in the farm buildings located on the bailey. The ruin is situated in their garden, making it private property and off-limits to the public. However, you can easily view the keep from the village. It's a very nice keep, too bad it can't be visited.

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