Burg Berus

Burg Berus stands on a steep-sided hill in the village of Berus in the Saargau region of the Saarland. It began as a border fortress for the Dukes of Lorraine in the early 13th century, protecting the road between Wallerfangen and Boulay. The site once held a fortified settlement that grew up around the castle walls. The castle passed through several noble families, including the von Alben and von Haraucourt, whose coat of arms still marks the surviving defences. By the late 16th century Berus was refortified, leaving the Torhaus with its arched gateway and loopholed parapet as the main remnant of the upper castle. The lower town wall survives in the Scharfeneck gatehouse, decorated with the Hattstein arms. Today the Torhaus and Scharfeneck gatehouse show the scale of the old defences. The village church contains the tomb of Johann von Haraucourt, who died in 1570. The hilltop offers wide views over the surrounding countryside, while the remaining masonry recalls the castle’s long role as a frontier strongpoint.