When I started urban exploring in 2014, there was one place I kept encountering on my timeline: Chateau Miranda. This severely decayed Gothic castle in the Belgian Ardennes, abandoned since 1991, was the urbex hotspot of Belgium at the time and was also at the top of my list to visit. In 2016, during a holiday in Belgium, the perfect moment finally arrived, as the plans for demolition were becoming more and more imminent.
Together with my son Twan, I got in the car early in the morning at five o’clock and arrived at sunrise at the hill where Chateau Miranda had been built. To get to the castle unnoticed, we had to first climb a steep incline. Sweating, perhaps from both the climb and the excitement, we emerged at the back of the castle. After taking a few pictures of the exterior, we waited for a moment and listened carefully to see if we could hear anything that might indicate the presence of other people. The castle and its grounds were being watched over by a very diligent forest ranger, who, under threat of his rifle, would catch urbexers and demand the memory cards from their cameras. Fortunately, we didn’t hear or see anything, and we were able to enter the castle undetected.
Up in the 56-meter-high tower, we suddenly heard the sound of a chainsaw in the distance. Was it the ranger approaching? However, the sound didn’t get any closer, so we ended up spending about an hour and a half inside. It was an amazing experience to explore, photograph, and soak in the mystical atmosphere of the place.
The construction of the castle began in 1866 under the direction of architect Edward Miller. The architect passed away in 1884, 23 years before the castle was fully completed.
The castle was always owned by the de Liedekerke Beaufort family and served as a summer residence. During World War II, the German occupiers temporarily took over the castle.
After the war, it was renamed Home de Noisy and was repurposed as an orphanage and holiday camp for sick children of railway workers. The castle could accommodate around 200 children. Although it was used as a holiday camp, the children were required to be formally dressed and follow a strict daily schedule.
When the orphanage closed in 1991, the maintenance costs became too high, and the castle fell into significant disrepair. In 1995, a fire broke out, causing part of the roof to be lost. About ten years later, a storm destroyed the remaining roof. The damage didn’t stop there—another fire occurred in the remaining structure of the castle in 2014.
Although the family initially sought investors, the last offer they received was rejected by them. If it had been accepted, the castle could have become a hotel. Ultimately, this once-beautiful castle was demolished in 2017.
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