The origins of the Teutonic Commandery of Alden Biesen date back to 1220, when Count Arnoul III of Looz⁽¹⁾ and his sister Mechtildis van Are, Abbess of Munsterbilzen⁽²⁾ donate a pilgrimage chapel in Rijkhoven to the Teutonic Order. The name Alden Biesen comes from a distinctive feature of the area, where large quantities of rushes (Biezen in Dutch) grew. Alden Biesen means "Old Rushes".
It is here that the knights built their commandery. The donation of 1220 is followed by many others, and Alden Biesen becomes the main seat of the province of Biesen, which over the centuries would include up to twelve commanderies⁽³⁾ located in the Meuse and Rhine regions.
Each of these enjoyed revenues that were initially used to support the Order's fight in the Holy Land, but later also for the conquest of Prussia.

In the mid-16^th century, Grand Commander Winand von Breil⁽⁴⁾, undertakes the reconstruction of a majestic residence on the ruined estate.
The construction of the castle itself is completed in 1566 with the finishing of the great tower.
At the end of the 16^th century, Commander Heinrich von Reuschenberg⁽⁵⁾ initiates a policy of religious education to counter the Reformation. In particular, he creates scholarships at the University of Cologne and the Jesuit College in Maastricht. His successor, Edmond Huyn van Amstenraedt⁽⁶⁾ , continues this project and creats a Teutonic college at the University of Leuven. These institutions become places of recruitment for civil servants and priests of the Teutonic Order for the region and beyond.

In the 17^th century, while Calvinism is spreading throughout the Utrecht region, Alden Biesen remains a Catholic stronghold thanks to the actions of these two Teutonic commanders. The medieval chapel is transformed into a Baroque-style church. A gallery with a colonnade is added to the chapel. This gallery is intended to be part of a new hospice for travellers, but it will never be completed.

At the beginning of the 18^th century, the French garden and orangery are laid out by Grand Commander Hendrik van Wassenaar⁽⁷⁾. He also begins work on modernising the castle and have many of its rooms redesigned to bring it into line with the fashions of the day.
All the successive Grand Commanders will do the same, transforming the castle according to their whims. The last major renovation takes place in 1786-1787, when Grand Commander Franz von Reischach⁽⁸⁾ have an imposing English-style park laid out, featuring monumental trees, exotic shrubs and bushes, fountains and water features, a replica of a Roman temple, a grotto, a hermitage, a Chinese temple and many other follies of that kind.
After surviving the two world wars with more or less damage, a huge fire ravages the castle in 1971. Owned by the state since then, the castle will be completely renovated. Transferred to the Flemish region with the federalisation of Belgium, it is adapted for use as a conference centre and now houses a permanent exhibition on the history of the Teutonic Order.