Chateau de Fagnolle, Castle ruins near Philippeville, Belgium
The Château de Fagnolle is a ruined medieval castle near Philippeville, in the Belgian province of Namur. It was built with a rectangular limestone layout and four round corner towers, of which the southern one still stands about four floors high while the others survive only at their bases.
The castle was likely built in the 13th century by Hugues I de Rumigny, the first known lord of Fagnolle, and served as a stronghold for the Counts of Hainaut in the region. In 1555, William of Orange had it blown up to prevent it from sheltering enemies, leaving it in the ruined state visible today.
The ruins sit in the Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse region, where the fortress once watched over a key passage through the Oise valley. Visitors walking the grounds can still trace the outlines of the four corner towers and get a feel for how the layout was organized to control the surrounding land.
The site is easy to explore on foot, but there are no facilities nearby, so it is worth bringing water and wearing sturdy shoes. The tourism office in Philippeville can provide guidance on the best way to reach the ruins and answer questions about local history.
In 1969, the entire ruin was covered with a thick layer of earth to protect the foundations, a method carried out following the principles of the Venice Charter. This protective mound of soil is still visible on the site today and gives the ruins their unusual, slightly raised appearance.
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