Charle-Albert Castle, Protected heritage castle in Watermael-Boitsfort, Belgium

Charle-Albert Castle is a three-storey red-brick building with horizontal bands of white and blue stone, a stepped gable, a projecting pale stone entrance bay and a tall round corner tower with a steep dark roof and a small red oriel window. It was built between 1870 and 1887 to the designs of architect Charle-Albert, who gave it the polychromy and varied volumes of the Flemish neo-Renaissance.

The building was designed and first inhabited by architect Charle-Albert, who lived there until 1892. Later it was converted into a girls' school and then became home to Belgian Prime Minister Paul van Zeeland.

Architect Charle-Albert built it for himself, and the nickname Maison Flamande comes from its Flemish neo-Renaissance design. The stepped gable, corner turrets and painted tapestries mixed with old stained glass were meant to make a new house look centuries old. It later served as a girls' school and, from 1933 to 1973, as the home of Prime Minister Paul van Zeeland.

The building is privately owned and not open to visitors; it can be seen from Avenue Charle-Albert, on the edge of the Forest of Soignes. The 2012-2014 renovation, which cost 6 million euros, restored the facades to their original appearance. Look for the stepped gable, the pale stone entrance bay and the round tower with its small wooden balcony.

The 2012 purchase by Don Luis Fidalgo, a Spaniard from Mallorca, led to a 6 million euro restoration finished in autumn 2014, of which 3,150,000 euros came from Brussels Region subsidies. That is roughly half the cost, not more. The building is still not open to visitors.