Ruins of Crèvecoeur, Bouvignes
The fortress of Crèvecoeur (literally "break heart") in the village of Bouvignes-sur-Meuse is one of the famous feodal castle around Dinant, along with Poilvache, Montaigle, Veves and Spontin.
The first written mention of Bouvignes dates back to the 7th century. The original name, Boviniacum or Bovingen, translates as "property of Bovon". The discovery of a Merovingian cemetery as well as the Germanic origin of the name clearly suggest that Bouvignes started as a Frankish settlement.
The first fortress of Bouvignes was built by Godefroy, Count of Namur, in the 11th century. Henry the Blind of Luxembourg had it surrounded by a wall in 1176, and the church of Saint-Lambert was built soon afterwards. The dungeon was erected in the early 14th century, when Bouvignes and Dinant experienced their worst confrontation.
In 1554, King Henry II of France sieged Bouvignes and its castle. When the three last knights perished protecting the castle, their wives chose to throw themselves from the cliff rather than fall to the enemy. This story earned the castle its tragic name.
The ruins are open all year round and entry is free.
How to get there
Crevecoeur is located in Bouvignes, just north of Dinant along the Meuse River. The nearest train station is Dinant on the Brussels-Namur-Dinant line.
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