Château de Pourtalès - A Fairytale Castle

Why live in the dorms next semester when you could live in this castle?

This beautiful castle is nestled gracefully in a lush and peaceful park-like setting just minutes from the center of one of Europe’s most dynamic and multi-cultural cities, Strasbourg, France.

The Château de Pourtalès has witnessed nearly 300 of the most compelling years in the history of Western Europe and graciously welcomed some of Europe's most notable nobility, diplomats, dignitaries, musicians, philosophers and poets.

Today, the Château continues to offer its hospitality to guests from all over the world. Groups studying abroad, policy-makers from many world governments, business leaders, as well as couples and families traveling in Europe enjoy our quiet setting just minutes away from the bustling center of Strasbourg. Public transportation and our many miles of immaculately-maintained bike paths make accessing all the area has to offer exceedingly easy.

Map of the Château de Pourtalès location

A brief history of the Château

Château de Pourtalès was built in 1750 by the wealthy industrialist Bussière family from Strasbourg. It was built on the plot of a country house. Between 1870 and 1914 Château de Pourtalès was an important meeting center of European nobility, who were always invited to the castle by the Countess Mélanie (featured in the image above) and the Earl Pourtalès.

You will probably recognize many of the frequent guests of the Château such as Albert Schweitzer, Franz Liszt, Napoléon III, Queen Eugenie, Princes from Belgium an Russia, Ludwig I from Bavaria, the Grand Duke from Baden and the Duke Metternich just to name a few.

But after the glory era of the late 1800’s and surviving two world wars, life at the Château became rather dim. Much of the castle structure was damaged during wartime and various occupants of the castle, including German and American troops, contributed to the state of the castle. 

After World War II, an eastern European university was briefly housed at the castle, but it was soon closed because of new boundaries which were established.  The castle fell almost completely to ruins until 1972, when Dr. Walter Leibrecht, founder of Schiller International University, bought the property and began drastic renovations to open it as a new study location for the university.

Today, the Château de Pourtalès is the study center for the EU Studies Program as well as a base for many student groups taking part in CEPA Europe programs.

Visit the website for more imgage and information about this wonderful study center: www.chateau-pourtales.eu

Address:

Château de Pourtalès
161 Rue Mélanie
67000 Strasbourg, France