Boussu Castle, locally known as Château de Boussu, lies in a park in the town of the same name, in the province of Hainaut in the Wallonia region in Belgium.

The site of Boussu Castle has been occupied since Gallo-Roman times. The first castle was built here during the 10th century. It belonged to the Fontaine family and went to the Hénin-Liétard family through marriage.

In 1402 the castle was besieged by the Lord of Chaudmont, a sworn enemy of the Lords of Boussu. After a couple of days the castle was taken, plundered and partly burned down. In 1478 this first castle was finally destroyed as a result of the wars between France and the Duchy of Burgundy.

In 1540 Jean de Hénin-Liétard, the first Count of Boussu, ordered the building of a new Boussu Castle, by the architect Jacques du Broeucq. In 1545 Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, visited his friend Jean de Hénin-Liétard to admire his new castle. He recieved a very sumptuous welcome and, although the castle was still under construction, decided to stay the night. In 1554 Charles V visited the castle again and again recieved a sumptuous welcome, which gave rise to the legend that at the end of his visit, the Count of Boussu burned down his own castle because 'after the visit of such a noble person, no one was more worthy to enter it'...

Boussu Castle was also visited by Phillip II of Spain in 1549 and 1558, by Louis XIV of France who celebrated his birthday here in 1655 and by William III of England in 1676. During following wars the castle suffered so much damage that by 1810 it was completely ruined. The castle ruin was then torn down with exception of the gate building which was restored by Count Maurice de Caraman.

During World War II the gate building was occupied by the Luftwaffe who used it as an ammunition depot. They blew up the depot in September 1944.

Since 2010 the ruin of the gate building was restored and now houses a small museum. It is situated in a municipal park. Of the castle itself only the built up foundation of the northeast tower and cellars remain. In the park area south of the castle there is a large area with all kinds of dressed stones, coming from the the old castle. There is also a ruined, early 20th century, house there.

castles.nl/boussu2-castle

Boussu Castle


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Before the castle existed, there was an old farm on the site called 'Du Maugré' The name meant 'cursed place' In 1465 the farm belonged to Jehan de Henry van Nimes.

In the 17th century the farm was sold to the Martin family. In 1745 Michel Licot, iron master of Vireux, bought the farm and the surrounding land.

Between 1864 and 1890 the farm was transformed into a castle, under the direction of August Licot, their grandson, because the Licot family made a fortune with the iron ore business. Later came the decoration of a park and a pond was added.

For 175 years the family Licot keeps making a fortune and owned the castle but the first world war ruins the family and makes an end to this. During the First World War the castle served as quarters for the German commanders. Because of this, it was never completely destroyed.

In 1923 the municipality bought the domain. In 1964 the castle underwent a restoration in Renaissance style. The Licot Castle as it is today, on the edges of the Eau Noire, was completed in 1977. After the merger of eight villages it is is now in use by the municipal administration of Viroinval.

https://www.amazingbelgium.be/2018/05/the-castle-of-licot.html

Kasteel Licot

The Counts of Hamal, the lords of the manor between 1567 and 1852, completely restructured the old fortress and farmhouse of medieval origin, reducing the defensive features to their foundations.

To the west, the tower and chateau facade have regular openings, consistent with the facade overlooking the courtyard, which has been completely reorganized in the Classical style. This 'modern' building is flanked by the so-called Attila tower, whose onion dome is a local landmark, whilst its large windows offer new observation posts.

In the second half of the 19th century, work to remove the defensive features continued: the two courtyards were brought together to form a huge terrace opening onto the valley when the outbuildings and ramparts had been levelled. The underlying garden, ring of trees dividing the ramparts and large orchard at the bottom of the valley extend the grounds beyond the château walls.

Although the château isn't open to the public, you can see it from various angles from the village and viewpoints on both sides of the Viroin.


http://www.beauxvillages.be/discover/landmarks-heritage/chateau-des-comtes-de-hamal-private-property.htm?lng=en

Kasteel van Vierves-sur-Viroin

Chimay Castle (French: Château de Chimay) is a château in Chimay, Hainaut, Belgium. The castle has been owned by the Prince of Chimay and his ancestors for centuries, and it is open to the public for tours during part of the year. Although the castle was significantly damaged by a fire in 1935, the structure was subsequently rebuilt, and renovations continue under the current generation of the princely family.

History
Chimay Castle, the home of the Princes of Chimay for many generations, is an ancient stronghold, which some documents suggest may be as old as the year 1000. Through the years, the medieval bastion became a fortress. In the 15th century, the castle was altered: five new towers were linked by corridors to the keep, to increase its defensive potential. Over the centuries, the castle was damaged by many wars, looters and pillagers. Finally, in 1935, a fire destroyed much of what was left, including many irreplaceable works of art. Despite the damage, the princely family decided to rebuild the structure, and repairs have continued since that time.

Initially, writings relate the presence of the town of Chimay in the 11th century, though the settlement may have existed already in the 9th century. An act dating from 1065 and 1070 reveals the presence of Gauthier de Chimay. The strategic position of crossing the Eau Blanche river is a logical explanation for the establishment of an important family on the promontory.

The history of the castle of Chimay is rather vague during the Middle Ages; it seems that the Chimay branch became extinct in 1226. The land then passed to the control of the Counts of Soissons, who held it until 1317, when the castle of Chimay was owned by the Count of Hainaut, then of Blois. Around 1445, it was bought by Jean II de Croÿ from Philip the Good.

Jean II de Croÿ was exiled by Charles the Bold in 1465 and pardoned by him in 1473, leaving descendants of the line of Croÿ to lead the new county of Chimay. The place was at the height of its power in the 15th century: in 1486, Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, erected Chimay into a principality. Unfortunately, waves of invading Austrian and French troops successively undermined the citadel.

Chimay Castle


The Florennes Castle (formerly the Château de Beaufort) in Florennes, Namur, Belgium, is a castle that dates back to the 9th century, although the most of the modern structure is much more recent.

Early history

The castle is located on a rocky ridge that stretches westward from the center of the old town of Florennes. There are early records of construction of a wooden castle in Florennes in 842. In 944 Count Eilbert replaced the wooden building with a stone castle surrounded by walls. Eilbert, lord of Florennes, died on 28 March 977. His daughter Alpaïde de Hoegarde (c. 921–986) married Godefroi de Juliers, a Count of Hainaut, and their sons Godefroi and then Arnoul inherited Florennes. The town and castle, owned by Arnoul's grandson Godefroi IV de Florennes (c. 1010 – 1080), became a fief of the Prince-Bishopric of Liège in 1070. The powerful Rumigny-Florennes family held the castle as vassals of Liège until the late 13th century.

In 1281 Isabelle de Rumigny, who had inherited the castle, married Thibaut of Lorraine, lord of Neufchateau. Thibaut was a warrior prince, and fought in the wars between the kings of France, the emperors of Germany and other potentates. He was in the ranks of the French at the disastrous Battle of Courtrai on 9 June 1302. Thibaut became Duke of Lorraine on 31 December 1303, and had to fight a revolt of his subjects. At one point he lost control of the castle to the prince-bishop of Liège, but it was restored on 6 June 1307.

The castle was badly damaged during a siege in 1408. Starting in 1417 Isabella, Duchess of Lorraine, undertook work that included building the terrace and, in 1425, laying out a 20 hectares (49 acres) park. A document from 1420 states that the people of Surice, Mazée, Vodelée, Soulme, Omezée, Villers-en-Fagne, Roly, Neuville, Vodecée, Villers-le-Gambon, Franchimont, Corenne and Anthée were required to mount guard over the castle. The castle was damaged again in a siege in 1430. Around 1465 it was said that the castle of the town of Florine was fortified with ditches, bulwarks and other defensive works. These walls still existed in 1517, and the castle was accessed over a drawbridge. The house of Lorraine owned the castle until 1556.

Later events

From 1556 to 1771 the castle was owned by the House of Glymes-Jodoigne. On 14 December 1570 Jean de Glymes, Baron of Florennes and Governor of Philippeville, and his wife Reneé de Vaudemont wrote a will leaving their eldest son Charles de Glymes the land and baronetcy of Florennes. Jean de Glymes died in the castle on 2 July 1575.

The Queen of Navarre, Margaret of Valois, sought refuge in the castle in 1577. She reached the lower court of the castle, but the wife of the lord of the castle refused her admittance in her husband's absence. Don John of Austria, hearing that the queen was staying at the castle, sent 300 men to cut the road and capture the castle. Thinking the queen was within the castle, they camped some way away, planning to take it the next day. The situation was serious but the queen's pleas for sanctuary went unheeded. Finally Charles de Glymes arrived. He reproved his wife and granted the queen admittance. He then provided an escort back to Paris.

The castle passed to the Beaufort-Spontin family in 1771. In 1794 the French revolutionaries seized the castle from its owner, the Duke of Beaufort-Spontin, who had emigrated. In 1800 the municipality of Florennes declared that the castle was a national asset and could not be sold. The Beaufort-Spontins regained the property after the restoration of the monarchy. In 1893, the Beaufort-Spontin family sold the castle and its outbuildings. It was resold to the French Jesuits in 1902, after religious schools had been suppressed in France. They used it for their Saint-Jean Berchmans college, and in 1905 built a novitiate at the southern end of the park.

During World War I the castle was used as a hospital by the French army and then by the German army. The castle was occupied by the German army again in 1940. In 1942 it was transferred to the air force, who installed an air command post in the novitiate, which was destroyed by fire when they left in 1944. The castle was then occupied by American troops.

In 1950 the Jesuits sold the castle and part of the park to the Missions Seminary (Séminaire des Missions) for use as a free girls school. For the last thirty years the Missions Seminary has leased the castle to the Municipality of Florennes, who in turn have rented it to the Justice of the Peace and the Music Academy. The process of registering the castle buildings and the park with the Institut du Patrimoine as a Wallon Heritage site were initiated in May 2004. Some of the building could continue to be used for educational purposes, while other parts would be restored. The Heritage Department would cover 60% of the costs of restoration.

Kasteel van Florennes

Thy-le-Château Castle, locally known as Château de Thy-le-Château, lies in the village of the same name, in the province of Namur in the Wallonia region in Belgium.

Thy-le-Château Castle was first mentioned at the end of the 12th century. Then it was owned by Henry IV, 'the Blind', Count of Namur. However, legend has it that the castle was built by Jean, a local lord, who had partaken in the taking of the city of Tyre during the Crusades in 1124 and who built Thy-le-Château Castle according to the plan of Tyre after his return.

In 1188 Thy-le-Château Castle was sieged by the armed troops of Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut, and taken by force. In 1190, Baldwin presented the castle to his brother William, called 'Saint-Sauve'.

In later centuries the castle passed through the hands of several families; de Neuville, de Werchin, de Barbençon-Jeumont, de Melun, de Ligne and de Croÿ.

In 1790 Thy-le-Château Castle stood empty and was burned by revolutionaries and fell to ruin. In 1830 the ruins were bought by the Hanseval family and used as barns. From then on several buildings were built against and within the ruins. In 1870 the main building was used as a brewery.

In 1910 the castle was bought by Louis Piret, a local ironmaster. In 1920 he started to restore the castle back to its medieval appearance. The newer buildings were torn down and archaeological excavations were carried out, the findings being used as a guideline to give the castle its medieval appearance. The restoration was completed in 1939.

On May 14, 1940 however the German air force bombed a French military convoy that had halted near the castle. The castle was destroyed in the process. So, after World War II ended, Louis Piret again started to rebuilt Thy-le-Château Castle. It is the result of that restoration that we see today.

At present Thy-le-Château Castle is private property and is used for cultural activities.

https://www.castles.nl/thy-castle