Château de Belœil
Château de Belœil is a pearl among the castles of Belgium. The country residence of the princely house of Linay is located 10 kilometers south of the town of Ace in the province of Hainaut, 30 kilometers east of Tournai and 80 kilometers southwest of Brussels. Château Beleuil is often referred to as the “Belgian Versailles” – its classical Renaissance interior is in keeping with the high status of its owners. Halls and chambers, furnished with luxurious furniture, store gifts of famous guests – Catherine the Great, Marie Antoinette, Goethe, Voltaire and Rousseau. Thousands of travelers come here every year to admire the castle, showing the life and manners of the aristocracy, stroll through the picturesque park and get to one exhibition.
Location
Belei Castle is located in the central part of the city of the same name. It stands at the base of a huge forest plantation of the Fore de Beleuil, surrounded by artificial water canals. Chievres airport is a 20-minute drive from the castle along the Chaussée de Mons highway.
.History
It is known that in the 13th century a small stone fortress stood on the site of the present castle. In 1394, the land on which it stood was inherited from the Counts of Condé to the princely house of de Ligne, to whom the Chateau of Beleuil still belongs today. The new owners carried out several global rebuilds, until finally, by the XVIII century, the castle took its present shape. And in 1664, a luxurious French-style garden with many small ponds was laid out around the castle.
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Architecture
Beleuil is a rather imposing structure with an inner courtyard. Four round towers are built at the corners, there is a basement and two residential floors, and there are also attic rooms. An artificial pond has been created around the building, which is inhabited by rather large carps. In the lobby, from which you can get to the Marshals’ Hall, there are two marble busts. One of them depicts the Russian Empress Catherine II, and the other – Prince Charles-Joseph de Ligne, who was the most famous writer of Belgium in the 18th century. In the Marshals’ Hall hang paintings by the Frenchman Leprince, painted during his stay at the court of Catherine II in 1758 and dedicated to his life in Russia.
In the Ambassadors’ Hall there are three large canvases narrating the most important moments of Prince de Ligne’s life. There are also two very valuable paintings in the dining-room, and the table here can seat upwards of forty persons. The second floor consists of several living rooms, including the apartments of Charles de Ligne, the famous Belgian writer. The rooms and chambers are furnished with expensive furniture, and many gifts from honored guests are kept here.
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The unique library of Beleuil Castle has more than twenty thousand ancient books. The bindings of many of them are made by famous masters. In addition to books, the library of the estate keeps about 3500 letters, which reflect the relations of the de Ligne family with representatives of the aristocracy and monarchs.
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Château Beleuil is surrounded by a park of about 25 hectares, created in 1664 in the French style. Its main feature is that there are many ponds, which used to serve various purposes, from ordinary bathing to preparing ice for the summer. The large pond is decorated with sculptures, the main one being Neptune. In one part of the park there is an orangery, built in 1830 and previously used as a winter garden, but now has become a great place for weddings, various seminars and other events.
.Amaryllis extravaganza
At the end of April – beginning of May the castle holds the so-called “Amaryllis Fairy” – for ten whole days the castle premises are transformed thanks to magnificent floral compositions using about two thousand amaryllis flowers and several hundred orchids. And at the end of the summer, classical music concerts are organized in the castle.
.Tourists
Tourists can visit the castle on weekends and public holidays from Easter to the end of September, and daily in July and August.
.How to get there
You can get to Beleuil exclusively by your own or rented transportation. The castle is located between Atom and Mons, close to the French border.
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Address
Beloeil, Rue du Chateau, 11.
.Cost of admission
9 EUR for adults, 8 EUR for pensioners and students, 4 EUR for children under 12 years old, free for children under 6 years old.
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