Fernelmont Castle

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

Fernelmont Castle was first mentioned in 1269, when Godescalc de Noville (later surnamed de Fernelmont) acquired the site. He then built a wooden keep with farm buildings on a small island in an artificial lake, fed by a nearby stream. Around 1300, the wooden keep was replaced by the current stone keep, which also served as a gate tower, to better protect the wooden farm buildings on the island.

At the beginning of the 15th century, the estate passed to the Longchamps family. Through marriage, the Marbais family acquired the castle in the middle of the 16th century. They, and the Barwitz family to whom they sold the castle in 1618, replaced the farm buildings on the island with brick residential wings around a central courtyard. The Tuscan gallery in this courtyard was added in 1621. Additionally, a square enclosure was constructed in front of the castle for agricultural purposes.

The Harscamp family purchased Fernelmont Castle in 1709 and, in 1767, made interior modifications, including a star-patterned courtyard floor.

In the 19th century, the castle was abandoned following the death in 1805 of Marie-Isabelle, Countess of Harscamp, the last noble occupant. It was damaged during World War II when occupying soldiers used the wooden panelling for firewood.

Today, Fernelmont Castle is private property, but it can be visited with a guide for a fee on Sunday afternoons. A nice castle, I especially like the contrast between the gray keep and the other parts of the castle.

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