Château de Belœil
The Château de Belœil is a château situated in the municipality of Belœil in the province of Hainaut, Wallonia, Belgium. It serves as the main residence of the princes of Ligne.[1] The château lies in the middle of a Baroque garden designed in 1664. The château and gardens can be visited during spring and summer.
The château was one of the filming locations for The Royal Exchange (2017).[2]
History
Belœil became a possession of the Ligne family in 1394.[1] At the beginning of the 15th century, the local castle was chosen as the principal residence of the family. The old castle was a fortified rectangular building with a moat surrounding it and had four round towers, one at each angle.
This basic structure is still preserved, although the facades and interiors were greatly altered during the following centuries. The fortified castle was adapted into a luxurious country house (château), following the French example. The interiors were appointed with fine furniture and the art collection of the family.
During the New Year's celebrations of 1900, disaster struck the château when it burned down completely. Most of the furnishings, including the library of 20,000 rare volumes and the art collection, were saved. The château was rebuilt in the following years by the French architect Ernest Sanson, while the interiors were redecorated using pieces from the Ligne collections.
Gardens
From 1664 onward, the park was created, with straight alleys, geometrical ponds and imposing perspectives. The typical bosquets (garden chambers enclosed by high hedges) were preserved in spite of the changing fashion in the 18th and 19th centuries, when English landscape gardens were preferred. A small landscape garden with a folly was installed in the direct vicinity of the château by Charles Joseph, Prince de Ligne.[3]
Gallery
- Château de Belœil
- The rear of the château by night
- A swan in the moat
- Side of the château
- The stone staircase
- The château's library
See also
References
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Official website
50°33′04″N 3°43′48″E / 50.551°N 3.730°E / 50.551; 3.730
- v
- t
- e
- Abée Castle
- Acoz Castle
- Alden Biesen Castle
- Chateau des Amerois
- Annevoie Castle
- Antoing Castle
- Château d'Anvaing
- Château royal d'Ardenne
- Ardooie Castle
- Kasteel van Arenberg
- Aspremont-Lynden Castle
- Attre Castle
- Beauvoorde Castle
- Beersel Castle
- Château de Belœil
- Belvédère Castle
- La Berlière Castle
- Château de Beurthé
- Château Bilquin de Cartier
- Binche Palace
- Blanmont Castle
- Boelare Castle
- Château de Bois-Seigneur-Isaac
- Bolland Castle
- Bonlez Castle
- Bonneville Castle
- Bornem Castle
- Borrekens Castle
- Bossenstein Castle
- Bouchout Castle
- Château de Bouillon
- Braine Castle
- Château des Cailloux
- Chimay Castle
- Royal Castle of Ciergnon
- Cleydael Castle
- Château de Corroy-le-Château
- Couwelaar Castle
- Crèvecœur Castle
- Crupet Castle
- Dave Castle
- Deulin Castle
- Diepenbeek Castle
- Donnea Castle
- Château de Duras
- Écaussinnes-Lalaing Castle
- Elewijt Castle
- Castle of l'Estriverie
- Fagnolle Castle
- Falaën Castle
- La Falize Castle
- Château de Fallais
- Falnuée Castle
- Fanson Castle
- Farciennes Castle
- Faulx-les-Tombes Castle
- Fernelmont Castle
- Château de Flawinne
- Florennes Castle
- Château de Fontaine
- Fontaine-l'Évêque Castle
- Fosteau Castle
- Château de La Fougeraie
- Franc-Waret Castle
- Franchimont Castle
- Castle of Freÿr
- Gaasbeek Castle
- Geeraard de Duivelsteen
- Gors Castle
- Gravensteen
- Groot-Bijgaarden Castle
- Guirsch Castle
- Ham-sur-Heure Castle
- Hamal Castle
- Harzé Castle
- Hasselbrouck Castle
- Haultepenne Castle
- Hauteroche Castle
- Haversin Castle
- Havré Castle
- Heers Castle
- Hélécine Castle
- Hex Castle
- Houtain-le-Val Castle
- Ingelmunster Castle
- Jannée Castle
- Jehay-Bodegnée Castle
- Jemeppe Castle
- Kruishoutem Castle
- Karreveld Castle
- Kasteel van Laarne
- Kasteel Lagendal
- Landwijk Castle
- Lassus Castle
- Laval Castle
- Château de Lavaux-Sainte-Anne
- Kasteel van Leeuwergem
- Leignon castle
- Limont Castle
- Loppem Castle
- Male Castle
- Château Malou
- Meylandt Castle
- Château Miranda
- Mirwart Castle
- Château de Modave
- Montaigle Castle
- Montquintin Castle
- Morialmé Castle
- Nieuwerkerken Castle
- Nokere Castle
- Ommerstein Castle
- Ooidonk Castle
- Oostkerke Castle
- Opprebais Castle
- Ouren Castle
- Kasteel van Poeke
- Rameyen Castle
- Ravenhof Castle (Torhout)
- Reinhardstein Castle
- Renesse Castle
- Reuland Castle
- Reijvissche Castle
- Rivieren Castle (Ganshoren)
- La Roche-en-Ardenne Castle
- Le Rœulx Castle
- Château-ferme de Roly
- Château Rose
- Château Rouge
- La Royère Castle
- Royseux Castle
- Rullingen Castle
- Rumbeke Castle
- Château-ferme de Samart
- Sars-la-Bruyère Castle
- Sart-Eustache Castle
- Château de Seneffe
- Solre-sur-Sambre Castle
- Solvay Castle
- Sombreffe Castle
- Sorghvliedt Castle
- Spanjaardenkasteel
- Spiere Castle
- Spontin Castle
- Het Steen
- Sterckshof
- Château du Stuyvenberg
- Tavigny Castle
- Templeuve Castle
- Ter Leyen Castle
- Thoricourt Castle
- Thuillies Castle
- Castle of Thy-le-Château
- Tielen Castle
- Tillegem Castle
- Tornaco Castle
- Trazegnies Castle
- D'Ursel Castle
- Château of Val-Duchesse
- Château de Vêves
- La Vicomté Castle
- Vierset Castle
- Vierves-sur-Viroin Castle
- Villers-sur-Semois Castle
- De Viron Castle
- Vogelsanck Castle
- Vonêche Castle
- Castle of Waha
- Walberg Castle
- Waleffe Castle
- Walzin Castle
- Castle of Warfusée
- Waroux Castle
- Wégimont Castle
- Castle of Westerlo
- Westmalle Castle
- Kasteel van Wijnendale
- Wissekerke Castle
- Château de Wodémont
- Zeebroeck Castle
- Zétrud-Lumay Castle
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Braine-le-Ch%C3%A2teau_CH1c_JPG.jpg/150px-Braine-le-Ch%C3%A2teau_CH1c_JPG.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/De_Viron_Castle_%28DSC_2198%29.jpg/150px-De_Viron_Castle_%28DSC_2198%29.jpg)