bub

Some castles look like Walt Disney's ones. Ludwig II's Neuschwanstein is certainly one of the most beautifuls, but unfortunately it is not really historical (it was built after 1870!)


That's the Castle of Antwerp (XIIIth century). It is tiny but the architecture is nice.


Castle of the Counts of Flanders in Ghent (XIIth century).
Image:Gravensteen (Gent) MM 2.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
When you enter you can visit the torture room!


Castle of Beersel. It may be less beautiful but it has played an important role during the war of succession of Brabant.


Eupedia : Belgium Guide : Castles list by era

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bub

Oh when I was at school we have visited the castles of the Loire valley in France. The castle of Chambord is really impressive. It's not a medieval castle (its from the "Renaissance").

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_de_Chambord

In the Netherlands I there are Heeswijk
Heeswijk Castle
and De Haar
De Haar Castle

1069

There is nothing old in America. Everything here is new compared to Europe.
I love historic architecture, which is why I adore New Orleans and go there whenever possible.
The city I live in- with a population of just under one million- did not exist a hundred and fifty years ago.
I mean literally; there was nothing here. Every bit of it is modern, comparatively speaking.

I love places with a history, places that make me feel connected to the past.

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bub

Bof, the reality is more shaded:
-> here, probably 90% of our historical patrimony has be destroyed by wars and time. Many castles/old buildings are in ruins or have totally disappeared, and here too, most of the buildings have less than 100 or 50 years. Historical buildings are the exception, and if you want to see what Belgium looked like 500 years ago, you should rather watch Breughel's paintings!

Découvrir Bruegel


-> on the US east coast, there were already native indians for millenia, and European settlements 400 years ago. There are also the battlefields of the US Civil War, etc...

-> what makes a country beautiful is what makes it different, what you don't see anywhere else. Here you can see nice old buildings, paintings, and a lot of beer, while the USA have got a great diversity of landscapes (the Rocky Mountains, the Grand Canyon, huge cities with hundreds of skyscrappers, the great plains...)

bub

Here's the castle of Godfrey of Bouillon

Godfrey sold it in 1095 to the Bishop of Liege, in order to get money and raise an army of crusaders.


He was the leader of the first Crusade, and became the first King of Jerusalem.

Here is the citadel of Namur.

Baldwin II, Marquis of Namur, was only 11 when he became Latin Emperor of Constantinople!

And they forced us to run to the top during P.Ed. at school!

There are 20 miles of galleries like this under the citadel! (Napoleon called it "Europe's termite mound" lol!)

bub

Yesterday the weather was nice so I took my camera on board of the plane. I decided to take pictures of some castles around my house - from the sky.


Just after we took off: Castle-farm of Hemptinne


3 or 4 miles further: castle of Meffe


2 miles further: castle of Waleffe




Castle of Sombreffe

bub

4 miles far from Sombreffe:



Castle of Mielmont






Castle of Corroy-le-Château
Château de Corroy-le-Château - Wikipédia

...still a lot of work: there are over 1900 castles in Wallonia!

Lerxst

I'm trying to convince my wife to travel with me to Europe just to see the castles. She is on the fence about flying for some damn reason. If she ends up not going I'll just take someone else.

Awesome thread Bub!

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bub

lol :p

If you don't have a lot of money to spend, you can try the "couch surfing".

And if your wife fears the plane...swim!


Thanx but i haven't done anything excepted taking pictures lol!

bub

I had no time to do it yesterday but it is important to describe what's on the picture:

Castle of Sombreffe

In the XII century, Sombreffe was ruled by the Dukes of Brabant. In the XV century, the de Orbais family bought the castle. In the XVI century, it was the de Lalaing, de Ligne, d'Oignies and then de Lannoy families.

This was a "castle of plain", protected by a dubble surrounding wall. The two keeps and six of the ten smaller towers remain. The moat has been filled.

It is now a hall for receptions and weddings.


Castle of Mielmont

Located at southern the border of the former Duchy of Brabant, it was first mentionned in 1125. It is defended by the hilly landscape (it is built on a small cliff overhanging the Orneau river) and by a wall and a small moat. The rest of the building was built in the XVI century.


Castle of Corroy le Château

It is one of the most beautiful and well preserved princely medieval castle in Northern Europe. Built in the 1200 at the frontier of the Duchy of Brabant and the County of Namur, it is flanked by 4 massive towers, a keep and a drawbridge. It was a bastion, destined to protect the frontier against Guy de Dampierre, count of Flanders and Namur.

It is still inhabited by the descendants of its first owners: the marquis de Trazegnies.

http://www.gembloux.be/ot/Curiosite_..._de_corroy.htm