Farciennes Castle

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

Farciennes Castle was first mentioned in 1344 when Adolphe de La Marck, Prince-Bishop of Liège, granted Hendrik of Farciennes permission to restore and strengthen his castle. In 1408, a Burgundian army came to the aid of the Prince-Bishop of Liège—John III—against the citizens of Liège, who were in open revolt. The rebellious citizens were defeated in battle, and the victors ordered the dismantling of the strongholds in the area, including Farciennes Castle.

After changing hands several times over the centuries, the remains of Farciennes Castle were acquired by Charles Albert de Longueval, Count of Bucquoy, in 1613. In 1629, he ordered the demolition of the medieval castle's remains, and in 1637, he began construction of the present castle, which was completed in 1676.

Over the next two centuries, the castle was visited by many nobles, including Louis XIV, King of France, and his wife. They stayed for 3 days, and Louis described the castle as "The little Versailles of the North." Other noble visitors included Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Condé; Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria; Charles II of Spain; and Archduchess Maria Elisabeth of Austria.

During the French Revolution, the castle suffered significant damage from pillagers.

In 1809, the Count de Fours, the last lord of Farciennes, sold the castle to Gabriel Scarsez, a lawyer from Mons. However, Scarsez lacked the means to maintain such an estate, and the castle fell into disrepair. Eventually, large parts of the surrounding park were sold, and factories were built in the grounds. The castle walls then began to crack due to ground subsidence caused by nearby coal mines.

In 1836, the castle was rented out, and a sugar factory and a distillery were established within it. A steam engine and generators were installed in the rooms on the first floor. In 1839, a fire destroyed the eastern tower of the castle. By 1860, the castle had been converted into a farm, and its owner tore down the right wing in 1886 to sell its stones.

In the 20th century, some minor restoration work was carried out, but after the last inhabitants died, the castle remained empty and fell into ruin. In 1963, a small branch of the Sambre River next to the castle was filled in, and the stables, along with the extensive gardens and fountains, were cleared.

Today, the ruins of Farciennes Castle are fenced off and cannot be visited, but they are easily visible from the public road. Years after my visit, steel girders were placed around the towers, and a contraption was partly installed over the castle ruin, all in an effort to prevent it from collapsing. It is a beautiful ruin that I hope can be preserved before it completely crumbles.

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