BOUILLON - BELGIUM
Godefroid’s Crusader's Castle on the Semois
No
matter what one thinks about the politics of the Crusades of the middle
ages, savior of
Christian
Holy lands or xenophobic European
land grab, it is no doubt that Godfrey of Bouillon (Godefroid)
was a Belgian national hero for his part. It was the French who instigated
the first crusade, but it was the
Belgian 
count Godfrey of Bouillon leading
a troop of Lotharingian knights who was the first European knight to
breach the walls of Jerusalem
in 1099. Godefroid de Bouillon was offered the
title of King of Jerusalem but turned down the crown, named instead
Warden of the Holy Sepulcher, though like many a soldier in war, he
died a year later from the plague (some suggest poison) never to
return home. Although Godefroid’s
arms resemble that of the Templar Knights, they did not come into existence
until the second crusade (see Troyes).
On
a visit to the beautiful town of Bouillon in southeast Belgium just
across the border from
France
Lorraine it is impossible
to avoid the legacy of Godfrey of Bouillon. The hereditary castle
he sold and left behind to go off to war stands above the town on a
steep rocky escarpment. The castle was naturally placed on the high
rock
cliff where the
Semois River curves around like a hair pin. The castle as it stands
now has sections that
remain from the 11th Century, but
much of it was fortified in the 13th Century and later in the gunpowder
age of the 1600’s defending against the French armies
of Louis XIV. A
wooden bridge crosses a high draw into the castle, which stretches
long and narrow
along the cliff with upper and lower great
stone vaulted halls remaining with tunnels, chambers,
donjons, powder, storage rooms and high defensive walls. There are
even stone balls left over that were used as ammunition
in catapults. There are a number of representations and statues of
Godfrey (Godefroid) around the castle (see Godfrey
of Jerusalem Hofkirche Innsbruck), but
some of its significant history dates from when this part of Belgium
was
annexed
by the Dutch
in 1815
after
the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo (see Waterloo
Battle Museums). Dutch
is a second language still in use in Bouillon.
Located
within the fortified castle of Bouillon the Bird of Prey
Spectacle is a daily raptor performance
show of Eagles, Falcons and Condors,
demonstrations of medieval falconry and bird behavior. When the show
is over and the audience gone the great birds remain on their perches,
eyeing castle visitors with avian suspicion, offering a chance to see
them quite up close. Actually they sit so still, at first you think
they might be stuffed. Then they turn and fix you with a look. Is
that a glint of hunger in the falcon’s
eye? It is possible to drive up to the castle on the hill.
Ducal Museum
Across the
parking lot is the Musee Ducal, the Duke’s Museum
in a former 18th Century soldier’s quarters. The Museum Ducal has art and
artifacts from days of Godefroid to the later days of the dukes of
Bouillon, including an effigy of a countess that looks like she's napping
in a hotel room. There are folklore rooms which remain furnished as
they were in the 12th
Century.
Also
here
is the Archeoscope
of Godefroid,
an
audio-visual representation of his journey to Jerusalem, including
sets and special effects, though the actual history may be subject
to scholarly interpretation. The museum and archeoscope require separate
admission from the castle.
Bouillon Belgium
The
town of Bouillon itself hugs either side of the river below the castle.
A bucolic picturesque
forest
town clinging to the hillsides.
At sun down fish jump in the shallow softly lapping Semois as it flows
under the two bridges at either end of town. A tourist town for lovers
of nature,
history and food. A number of hotel restaurants are located on the
banks of the river and above the village with its two main streets.
The Hostellerie La Porte De France is
a Best Western hotel located directly below the castle.
The Auberge
d’Alsace Hotel de France is a member
of the Logis de Belgique and has
a very nice country style elegant restaurant with river view to
enjoy a Belgian beer and
a Croque Monsieur. Close to Bouillon is the Animal
Park of Bouillon, kayaking and river boats on the Semois at
Chiny, the Giant’s
Tomb and the Monastery at Orval in Villiers Devant Orval
(see Orval
Abbey - Trappist Beer and Monks), also hiking, biking
and even go-karts. Bouillon is about an hour drive from Luxembourg
or Strasbourg, about
two hours from Liege, Brussels or Reims though time might vary with
traffic as it is well off the main autoroutes. © Bargain
Travel Europe
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SEE ALSO:
DURBUY
- QUAINT TOWN ON THE OURTHE RIVER
BELGIUM "BATTLE
OF THE BULGE" TOUR & CEMETERIE
LA
ROCHE EN ARDENNE - CASTLE
CHATEAU LA ROCHE
CASTLE FRANCHIMONT RUINS THEUX
AU
VIEUX DURBUY & SANGLIER DES ARDENNES
