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Wittem Castle has played an important part in the history of South Limburg. Situated in the Geul valley, at the junction of several brooks and rivulets, and in marshland, it was a redoubtable citadel for centuries. Its history since about 1100 A.D. is quite well known.
About 1120, Guda, the widow of Thibald of Fouron-le-Comte, Lord of Valkenburg, bequeathed the property to St.Jacob´s Abbey, Liège, to which she had retired on becoming widowed.

A century later the castle – then presumably only a tower or dungeon – came into the possession of the Knights of Julémont, of the famous Scavendrie family of knights.
The Knights of Julémont called themselves Van Wittem and their armorial device consisted of a scalloped cross in red on golden escutcheon. They resided in the castle for several generations until the last Van Wittem sold it to Jan van Cosselaer for 300 guilders in 1344. He also assumed the name of Van Wittem. This family which added Mechelen, Waelwiler, Nyswiler and the Manor of Eys to the estates of Wittem, retained possession of the castle until 1466, when it was sold to a cousin, Diederik van Pallant. Wittem Castle thus came into the hands of a family of equal fame.

In 1520 Emperor Charles V. elevated Wittem to a Barony, probably as a reward for his sojourn at the castle on his journey to Aix-la-Chapelle for his coronation.
At the beginning of the Eighty Years War Wittem played an important part in the struggle against the Spaniards. It was the first Prince of Orange, William the Silent, who personally conquered Wittem from the Spaniards in 1568 and used it as a base for further hostilities. The 11th couplet of the Dutch National Anthem recalls this important period in the Netherlands´ battle for freedom.
The castle was restored and enlarged in 1611 with money given in compensation for dammage suffered in the war.
In 1639 Floris van Pallant died without issue. A new family, the Counts of Waldeck Pyrmont, made its appearance at Wittem. These inhabitants of Wittem likewise occupied high public offices in Brabant and Limburg and belonged to the leading nobility. George Frederick of Waldeck Pyrmont was even made a Prince by Emperor Leopold I. Because of a heavy burden of debts Wittem was sold to Count Ferdinand of Plettenberg in 1722. This family managed to have Wittem elevated to a county in 1732.

Wittem stayed in its possession until the French Revolution, after which the abolition of manorial rights in 1794 terminated the county status. The castle was then sold together with a farm and its land to Simon Merckelbach for 80.600 francs. It was the Merckelbach family which restored the building to a habitable state.
The Merckelbachs, who lived at the castle for more than a century and a half, occupied important offices at provincial government and council level.

In 1958 the castle was sold to the J.F. Rooding family, of Valkenburg, who were able to ensure its continued existence by turning it into a hotel-restaurant. Further Wittem was sold on 30 december 1968 to the P. Ritzen family, also from Valkenburg, which continued the hotel and restaurant business. By carrying out a thorough general restoration – started in January 1972 – in co-operation with the Commission for Ancient Monuments, the new owner of Castle Wittem is also trying to save this historically important building for future generations.