Antoing Castle

Antoing Castle
Château d'Antoing
Wallonia, Belgium
Site information
TypeCastle
Location
Coordinates50°33′54″N 3°26′49″E / 50.565°N 3.447°E / 50.565; 3.447

Antoing Castle (French: Château d'Antoing) is one of Belgium's best-known castles. The castle is situated along the Scheldt River in Antoing in Hainaut, Wallonia. Locally, it is known as Château d'Antoing and Château des Princes de Ligne.[1] It is held by the Princes de Ligne.

View of Amtoing Castle from the Scheldt River

History

In the 10th century, the Count of Flanders built a motte-and-bailey castle along the Scheldt River on the current site of Amtoing Castle.[1] Today, this is located in the municipality of Antoing in Hainaut Province of Wallonia, Belgium.[2] In the early 12th century, stone fortifications and a stone keep were added to the castle.[2]

Jean de Melum rebuilt Antoing Castle between 1436 and 1452, creating a "luxurious tower house" with updated defenses.[1] In the 15th and 16th centuries, Antoing Castle was visited by many notables of the era, including Charles the Bold; Henry VIII; Margaret of Austria; Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor; Philip the Good; and Philip II of Spain.[1] In the 17th and 18th centuries, Antoing Castle was visited by Louis XIV and Louis XV.[1]

In 1634, Antoing Castle was inherited by the Princes de Ligne when there was not a male heir, and the holder of that title still owns it.[1] In 1901 to 1914, Amtoing Castle was used by the College of the Sacred Heart, operated by the French Jesuit for students of the College of Lille in exile.[2][1] During World War I, the castle was used as a hospital by the Imperial German Army.[1]

Antoing Castle is now the private home of the De Ligne family.[1] It is one of the best-known castles in Belgium.[3] Locally, it is called the Château d'Antoing and the Château des Princes de Ligne.[1]

Architecture

Antoing Castle's core is from the late Medieval Ages.[1] Its round towers were added in the 1400s.[2] It also includes a corps de logis that was added near its gatehouse in the mid 16th century and is now used as a coach house.[1][2]

Antoing Castle was redesigned in Neo-Gothic style in the 19th century by the French architect Viollet-le-Duc.[1]

Antoing Castle was the primary filming location for The Devil's Nightmare (1971) a Belgian/Italian co-production.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Castles.nl - Antoing Castle". www.castles.nl. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Antoing Castle in Belgium - Wallonia" [Castles of the World]. castellinelmondo.altervista.org. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
  3. ^ "Antoing Castle, Antoing, Belgium - SpottingHistory". www.spottinghistory.com. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
  4. ^ "Filming locations - Devil's Nightmare". CELLULOID DIARIES. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
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