Château de Belœil
Château de Belœil | |
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Belœil in Wallonia, Belgium | |
Coordinates | 50°33′04″N 3°43′49″E / 50.5511259°N 3.7302876°E |
Site information | |
Owner | Ligne family |
Website | www |
The Château de Belœil is a
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
Gardens
From 1664 onward, the park was created, with straight alleys, geometrical ponds and imposing perspectives. The typical
Gallery
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Château de Belœil
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The rear of the château by night
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A swan in the moat
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Side of the château
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The stone staircase
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The château's library
See also
References
- ^ a b "Castle history". Château de Belœil. Retrieved 2020-11-04.
- ^ "Original plans of the gardens". Archived from the original on 2013-10-05. Retrieved 2014-04-14.