Trazegnies Castle

Trazegnies Castle, locally known as Château de Trazegnies, lies in the town of the same name, in the province of Hainaut in the Wallonia region in Belgium. It should not be confused with its namesake in Berzée, located in the province of Namur, also in the Wallonia region of Belgium.

Trazegnies Castle was first mentioned in 1155, and it was likely built a few decades earlier by Gilles I de Trazegnies. It became a powerful and independent seigniory situated at the borders of the Duchy of Brabant, the County of Hainaut, and the Principality of Liège.

The Trazegnies family was well known; several members participated in the Crusades, and one became High Constable of France under Louis IX. Jean III de Trazegnies was initiated into the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1515 and was sent to Portugal in 1525 to marry Isabella of Portugal by proxy on behalf of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.

The medieval fortress of Trazegnies Castle was burned and destroyed in 1554 by troops of Henry II, King of France. By the end of the 16th century, the castle was rebuilt, with only the lower part of the gatehouse dating back to the original 13th-century castle.

Early in the 17th century, Gillion-Othon de Trazegnies constructed the main building of the current castle in the Louis XIII style. When the last Marquess of Trazegnies died, the castle passed to his niece. It was later sold to a coal company, which divided and sold it to private individuals. In 1913, the castle was donated to the State.

By 1926, the neglected castle had fallen into ruin, and plans were made to photograph it and then demolish it. Fortunately, this did not happen, and a society was formed to preserve the castle. Throughout the 20th century, what remained of the castle was restored to its current appearance.

Today, the castle serves cultural purposes and houses several cultural and community offices. The grounds are open to visitors free of charge. A beautiful castle, but what a strange choice of wall color...

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