Castle of Freÿr

The castle of Freÿr with its gardens in the style of Le Nôtre is located on the left bank of the Meuse, between Waulsort and Dinant (province of Namur, Belgium). They form one of the most magnificent natural sites in Belgium. It has been classified as one of Wallonia's major heritage sites.

Dating back to the Middle Ages, Freÿr was a keep given in fief by the Count of Namur to Jean de Rochefort Orjol in 1378. His granddaughter Marie married Jacques de Beaufort in 1410. Their descendants have kept the estate until the present.

The keep was destroyed in 1554 by the French during the wars against Emperor Charles V. The oldest part of the current castle, the east wing, was built in 1571 and is one of the first examples of the "Renaissance Mosane" style.

During the 17th century the house was enlarged by the addition of three wings, forming a square with the original wing.

Around 1760 the south wing was pulled down and replaced by a wrought iron gate reminiscent of Jean Lamour's masterpiece in Nancy, closing the inner yard to give the castle its current appearance.

The castle is representative of the interior of a nobleman's summer residence of the 18th century. It features many original elements such as the impressive main hall with wall paintings by Frans Snyders and a ceiling covered by Louis XV frescoes, or the chapel with its Regency wooden panelling and its Baroque altar.

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Wikipedia