Château de Petite Somme, Gothic Revival château in Septon, Belgium
Château de Petite Somme is a limestone castle combining Gothic Revival details with eclectic design elements visible across its towers and walls. The structure showcases the mixed architectural language that has defined its appearance since the late 1800s.
The castle took its current form in the late 1800s through successive rebuildings of earlier structures. During World War I it served as a military hospital, an experience that left lasting marks on the building.
The castle has been the headquarters of ISKCON Belgium since 1980, when the community moved here from Brussels and renamed it Radhadesh, "Land of Radha". The temple room holds the Radha-Gopinatha deities, moved here in 1980 after being installed in Amsterdam in February 1977, along with Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra. The grounds also hold a bakery, an Indian goods shop, a vegetarian restaurant and the Bhaktivedanta College.
The site can be visited on most days, though you should confirm opening hours in advance. Guided tours of the interior can be arranged, and sturdy footwear is wise given the stairs and uneven floors inside.
A door inside the château still carries the coats of arms of the Hamal and de Granet families, survivors of the 1888 neo-Gothic rebuild. The Hamal family held the estate from 1461 to 1774, and much of the forest around the castle was cleared in the same period.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,588 contributors worldwide.
