History of the Castle of Grand Bigard

Tourists have long marvelled at the beauty of Belgium's ancient monuments and castles.The province of Brabant is home to several of them, testimony to a glorious past, but the castle in the pretty village of Grand Bigard, 7 km west of Brussels, is certainly one of the most beautiful. The castle of Grand Bigard, first built in the XIIth century, is surrounded by a broad moat, its deep waters reflecting the centuries-old beech trees. A five-arch bridge, headed by two XVIIth century heraldic apes crosses over to the drawbridge leading to the fortified entrance dating back to the XIVth century. The castle itself, built in the XVIIth century, is a vast edifice of remarkably pure style: it is a wonderful example of the Flemish Renaissance, with a long, one-storied main building in pink brick, contrasting beautifully with the white stone mullioned windows and the blue slate roof. The chapel, in the right wing, has remained unchanged for the last three centuries, and the left wing is surmounted by a bulb-shaped roof. Erected around 1347, the dungeon, a massive 30-metre high structure next to the fortified entrance, has four floors. The walls are two metres thick. There is a marvellous view of Brussels and the Flemish countryside to be had from the fourth floor terrace.