Château fort d'Ecaussinnes-Lalaing

About the museum

In 1184, Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut, set up a first fortified post on this rocky spur overlooking the valley, on the edge of the county. At the end of the 13th century, the lords of Écaussinnes built the fortified castle seen today: a sturdy stone keep surrounded by an irregular enclosure. The marriage of Jeanne du Rœulx to Simon VII of Lalaing in 1357 made it, for nearly a century, the home of the lords of Lalaing; it then passed by marriage to the Croÿ family. Of little use defensively, it was gradually transformed into a more comfortable residence.

In 1642 it became the property of the van der Burch family, who lived there until 1854. In the 18th century the upper floors were redecorated in the Rococo style, while the entrance tower was added in a very different style. The ground floor keeps its medieval austerity, with the dungeon, the Gothic chapel, the old kitchen and the armoury.

In 1922, the neglected castle was put up for sale. Canon Edmond Puissant, an archaeologist and collector from Mons, bought it, restored it, housed his collections there and opened it to the public in 1926. Count Adrien van der Burch, a descendant of the old family, later bought back the estate and entrusted it to the van der Burch Foundation, which continues to develop it. The castle, listed in 1972, and its flowering kitchen garden have been included in the list of Exceptional Heritage of Wallonia; the collections, rich in Hainaut porcelain and 17th- and 18th-century furniture, make it a museum.

Highlights

• 13th-century fortified castle with keep and enclosure, Exceptional Heritage of Wallonia
• Medieval ground floor: dungeon, Gothic chapel, old kitchen, armoury
• Salons and upper floors decorated in the 18th century
• Collections of Hainaut porcelain and antique furniture
• 18th-century flowering kitchen garden, also listed

Permanent exhibition

• Le château fort et ses collections – Medieval ground floor (dungeon, Gothic chapel, old kitchen, armoury) and 18th-century upper floor; collections of porcelain and antique furniture, with a visit to the flowering kitchen garden.

Founded

1926

Operated by

Fondation van der Burch (fondation d'utilité publique)

Admission & discounts

Payment by card or cash (preferably the exact amount). Guided tours on request.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The fortified castle is at Rue de Seneffe 1, in Écaussinnes-Lalaing.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

The castle lends itself to events of all kinds and sometimes serves as a film set; wedding photos are possible in the courtyard and garden.

Plan your visit