June 14, 2008  

Château Miranda (Belgium)

When the French Revolution made the Count of Liedekerke-Beaufort leave his feudal castle of Vèves to go hide in a nearby farm (facing the castle of Vèves), the story of ‘Chateau Miranda’ begins. The Count stayed in the farm and kept expanding it until, in 1866, he asks the English architect Milner to design the castle we know now as Chateau Miranda. After WW2 the castle was sold to the Belgian railway company (NMBS) who used it as a vacation home for the NMBS employees. In 1991 the castle became abandoned.

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22 responses to “Château Miranda (Belgium)”

  1. Angelique says :

    Love them all!!!
    You have such a good eye for angles and details.

    Reply
  2. Samm Dewaele says :

    Hello,

    I’m doing Production for a new television program in belgium and this location is very nice. But I wonder what the adres is of this location and do you have any contacts?

    thx.

    Reply
    • Emfried Schwiertz says :

      Yes I am not a Belgian, I am a German but I love this wonderful old building and it breaks my heart seeing it decay.
      You can read by internet, I am not the only person thinking in that way.

      I struggle now since one year for the preservation of this beautiful building, wrote more than 60 emails and letters but nobody refuses to listen to me. I had an extended conversation with the Palace of Brussels about it, I wrote to many institutions, which are busy with “patrimoine”, but mostly I got no reply or the trials fail at the agreement of the owner.

      I beg you for help, to get the count prepared to listen to me.

      I want describe you my idea for saving Noisy.
      I fell in love with this building and I´m so sad seeing it decay. I´d like to start a pilot project at this place; protection of world heritage by the public, like it`s written by the “World Heritage Convention” of the UNESCO.
      You should see it as a kind of neighbourly help from people next door, who have craft skills.
      The youth should learn from elder people, and all together learn to communicate with each other, knowing no borders.
      The youth is more than our future, sometimes frightening, but they are the future of the world.
      And this generation is no more able to communicate to each other, and begins a life in a virtual world.
      All nationalities, male or female, all aged should be welcome and all together with one effort: “This building is a monument of the past and shall not decay, because the beauty”.
      I am sure to find a lot of people who sacrifice their free time and holidays for this project.
      From internet panels I know, there are many young people, who are interested in the preservation of “Château de Noisy”. Learning by doing!
      But here is swift action necessary, because the condition of the castle is alarming.

      Please help me for “Noisy”.

      Best regards

      Emfried Schwiertz

      Reply
  3. telefunker says :

    Thanks Liek,
    @ Sam, I’m afraid I can’t help you with this one.

    Reply
    • Anonymous says :

      The only spot so far where Telefunker responds. Puzzling stil. she answers in 2008 a letter written in 2009. Intriguing. Does Telefunker exist in this world ? No modal logik can give a possible world where this possible except here A little scarry it gets,like living in a really abandoned place. Abandoned is a place where there is no love. But with love noplace is abandoned. That is why God created love, not to feel abandoned in a largely abandoned universe on the dark side of the moon. Zum Gluck ist dieses hier nur Kunst .

      Reply
  4. Janet says :

    What a shame it could not be restored what a grand place it would become again.

    Reply
  5. LG says :

    does anyone know what the inccident was that forced it to close in 91

    Reply
  6. Joel says :

    Very nice location and great pictures of it. I´m goging to visit it in a few days…

    Reply
  7. Daniel says :

    I would love to help you……..email me.

    Reply
  8. Michelle Summers says :

    You know if you purpose the site be restored with a project /purpose that would benefit the local community and country they might me more compelled to help you. I have heard of places such as this that where made into artist residency programs. The artists residing there had to agree to work jobs of maintenance on the establishment in exchange for free room and studio. This eliminates part of the cost of maintenance the government would have to pay and also brings in money from the artists coming to live there. It creates an extra attraction to the area that would boost tourism and interest for that area which is always good for the economy but also culturally enriching for the countries people as well. Just a thought to think about.

    Reply
  9. RJ says :

    Does anyone know where I can get blue prints of the castle? historical drawings, permits for changes etc. I’m an international student who spent 2 days photographing the chateau in Oct 09. I’m working on a project of hypothetical renewable use. However the owners and gov are of no assistance. The Chateau is EXTREMELY dangerous, but beautiful beyond belief. The owners patrol the outer paved roads continually watching for parked cars, and will run anyone off they “find”. If any can help me with prints or technical drawings I would greatly appreciate it.

    Reply
    • Emfried Schwiertz says :

      I am a member of a group “International Friends Of Castle Mirranda (IFOCM).
      If you can wait a few days, maybe I can help you. One of our members will have an appointment this week in the archiv of the SNCB. As they told him, there are still many old things about the castle, also an existing plan for renovation which was not realized.
      Contact me by email: Emfried.Schwiertz@arcor.de

      Kind regards; Emfried

      Reply
  10. artvisuelle says :

    so you’re telling me you can actually enter the castle and there isn’t anyone guarding it ??
    😀

    Reply
  11. D. Bradford says :

    Hi,
    I am an American, interested in the rescue and preservation of historic buildings. Has there been any progress in your efforts towards the rescue of Chateau Miranda? Though I have no personal resources, I do have access to someone who may have the knowledge on how to nominate a World Heritage site. Please reply with an update on this effort, so that I will know how to proceed. Thank you for your time and efforts, I look forward to your reply.

    Sincerely,

    D. Bradford
    United States of America

    Reply
  12. Susan says :

    Hello to D.Bradford

    I also am an American. I have been following Chateau Miranda for sometime now and it breaks my heart to see the condition it is in. They say it was sold to the railroad. But was it. I read on line some where that the owners of Veves still own Miranda. I also read the nearby town offered to buy it, and restore it but got a refusal from the owner? The cost is LARGE, but with ideas and help from people with the skills to restore it. It might not be so bad. Just a thought. The biggest obsticle is finding out how owns it for sure. Is there a way to go to Govt. agencies to find out? I believe the main reason the chateau was abandond was the hight cost of running it. There was some talk of makeing it a hotel. ( I would think that would pay for itself in time and the right people). Revenue woud be needed up front though. I wish you all the luck in finding what you can and restoring that beautiful chateau. If possible, please keep me informed of you progress. With the good Lords help and a bit of luck, you might be able to start and finish this project. Maybe even I could get over there and see it in person.
    Good Luck
    Susan

    Reply
  13. Anthony Worthington says :

    Hi,
    I am also one of those that has been following the slow decline of historic buildings around Europe, Castle Miranda being one.
    I am from Cape Town, South Africa and would love to get involved in the restoration of such buildings.
    Does Belguim not have a Heritage site such as England, where they buy old disused historic buildings, repair/restore them and then open them to the public, thereby making funds.

    Reply
  14. Anonymous says :

    Chateau Miranda ? I built it . In 7 days. She says we built it in 417 A:D in honor of Saint Augustin. He used to hold a lecture a day out of his Commentaries on John the Evangelists In the Beginning there was the Word and the Word was with God. . A 1000 years later Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors was performed on the veranda.

    Reply

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