Dave Castle, Medieval château in Dave, Belgium

Dave Castle, also called Fernan-Núñez Castle, stands at Dave on the Meuse near Namur. It consists of several buildings: the oldest run along the Namur-Dinant railway line, while an 18th-century château sits by the river. The red-brick façades have pale stone trim, steep slate roofs, a central tower with a pointed roof, slender bulbous spires near the left end and a round turret at the right corner. A 7-hectare English-style park designed by Denis and Eugène Bühler surrounds it.

The original medieval fortification was abandoned and fell into decline during the 17th century. Reconstruction and architectural renewal took place over the 18th and 19th centuries, creating the structure visible today.

The château takes its alternative name, Fernan-Núñez, from the Spanish dukes who have owned it since Marie-Gabrielle de Wignacourt married Alonso de Solis, Duke of Montellano, in 1737. The present owner, Manuel Falcó y de Anchorena, holds five Spanish grandeeships, including Duke of Fernán Núñez.

The castle is private property and cannot be entered, but its exterior is visible from the Meuse River banks and walking paths. The best views come from riverside trails, especially on clear days when light catches the stone.

The 7-hectare English-style park was laid out by Denis and Eugène Bühler, the landscape architects behind several European public gardens. The wooded slope west of the Namur-Dinant railway line also belongs to the estate and is worked for timber, so the domain extends beyond the lawns seen from the water.