The Maiden’s Tower in Zichem is a 14th-century fortified donjon, standing 26 metres tall, with a diameter of 15 metres and walls more than 4 metres thick.
Galerie photos
Eebie, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Legend of the Maiden
According to local legend, the tower owes its name to a tragic story. It is said that the wealthy Renier II of Schoonvorst had the tower built to imprison his daughter so she could not marry a simple farmer. For that reason, the tower was supposedly constructed in the middle of the Demer River, making any escape impossible.
The girl was believed to have lived there in complete isolation, visited only by one sister who brought her food. Overcome with sadness and loneliness, she eventually threw herself from the top of the tower to her death. The name “Maiden’s Tower” refers to this tale, which is highly improbable, as the daughter was expected to remain a virgin until marrying a wealthy nobleman.
A 1969 study contradicts the legend, indicating instead that the tower was built as a defensive structure.
