Château de Laclaireau, Renaissance castle in Ethe, Belgium
The Château de Laclaireau is a rectangular castle in Ethe with three sections topped by hipped roofs and a central decorated oriel window as its main feature. Two brick wings were added to the sides in 1877, extending the original structure.
Parisian architect A. Decloux designed this residence between 1852 and 1855 for Camille de Briey, a liberal politician and Master of Forges. During wartime, it served as a hospital in 1914 and later housed American troops in 1944 without damage.
The building blends Italian and French design styles, with eight windows of different shapes and decorated tops that give the facade its character. These details show how the owner wanted to mix influences from across Europe in his home.
The Fondation Demeures & Châteaux maintains the castle and displays three restored rooms on the first floor furnished with period pieces. Visitors can get a sense of how people lived here during the 1800s.
The building came through both the 1914 battles and the 1944 American occupation without damage, even though fighting happened nearby. This survival is striking compared to other structures in the surrounding area that were destroyed.
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