Walzin Castle – Château de Walzin, is a castle in the Province of Namur in Belgium.
This neo-gothic castle stands on a steep rock above the right bank of the Lesse river.
Construction of the castle began in the 13th century. In 1554 it was burned and destroyed by the French army and the Renaissance horseshoe tower of the fifteenth century survives with four gun positions. Subsequently, the castle was restored several times, the last of which by the baron Fréderic Brugman between 1930 and 1932.
The castle is located in a wooded area, the Bois du Chaleux. Not accessible for viewing, but the gardens are. There is a guided walk every Thursday at 10 am during the summer.
Today the Castle has been a distinguished three star hotel.The Walzin estate is private and cannot be visited. The castle is however visible from the Lesse.
Access : Coordinates: 50.219, 4.923 / The castle of Walzin is located in Dréhance, now part of Dinant, in the province of Namur.
Highlights :
- The ruins of this military stronghold mainly consist of that keep with a remnant of about 13m of wall that is 1.70m to 3.30m thick. The first written notes of the Ruins of Cavrenne date back to 1235. In 1489, the order to destroy the castle was issued from the then Prince-Bishopric of Liège.
- The gardens are designed by the architect Louis Julien Breydel, author of the Botanical Garden of Brussels.
- Built from the 13th century, the castle has little medieval to it, apart from the corner horseshoe tower – 15th century.
- Τhe castle of Walzin, one of the largest in Belgium, built in the 13th century and perched on a rocky outcrop over 50 meters high overlooking a sheer bend in the Lesse. Château de Walzin has Listed as an exceptional heritage site of Wallonia.
- Walzin Castle Often called the “Belgian Neuschwanstein”, the castle has also inspired many artists who all wanted to represent this exceptional monument, such as Remacle Leloup in 1744, Gustave Courbet in 1846, or even Victor Hugo on August 19, 1863.The castle in this version can be seen on many postcards and drawings from the Belle Époque.
Go next : The castle of Ciergnon or royal castle of Ciergnon, a summer residence of the Belgian royal family. / The castle of Freÿr and its gardens, located along the Meuse, between Waulsort and Dinant / Dinant : A French-speaking city in Belgium located in the Walloon Region and in the Belgian Ardennes, the capital of the arrondissement in the province of Namur. / Gembloux – its belfry is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
