The gates of 33 castles in Wallonia will be opened to the public for free visits on Sunday 1 May, bringing to an end the region's "Youth and Heritage Days."
Families are welcomed to experience Wallonia's heritage in a new way and take part in guided tours and treasure hunts for children, organised in some of the region's most impressive historic buildings.
A booklet and educational games have been developed by the Walloon Heritage Agency and the non-profit organisation Museums and Societies in Wallonia tailored to the various locations.
The Youth and Heritage Days event was initially intended for school visits but was redesigned in 2019 to welcome families too. During the week of 25 April to 1 May, a multitude of activities are organised in the region, with an aim of educating children in a playful manner.
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All the visits and activities are free, but some do need to be reserved in advance. For a full listing and how to reserve your spot, visit the organiser's website.
As there are not enough hours in the day to visit all 33 castles, here is a list of our favourites.
Château de Trazegnies, Hainaut
Although the Castle of Trazegnies is first mentioned in 1155 in the register of the Abbey of Floreffe, the building is believed to be even older, as evidenced by the impressively preserved 11th century Romanesque cellars.
Château de Trazegnies. Credit: Wikimedia
The castle was ransacked and burnt down in 1554 by the troops of King Henry II of France, and was then rebuilt at the end of the 16th century, with the exception of the lower part of the gatehouse, which dates from the 13th century.
The main building of the castle, which is considered its crown jewel, was built in the Louis XIII style at the beginning of the 17th century. After being in the hands of various owners and falling into ruin in the early 20th century, an association was formed to restore and preserve it.
Le Vieux Château de Saive, Liège
Built in the early Middle Ages on a rocky spur, Le Vieux Château de Saive literally stands out with its imposing 20 metre high defensive towers. In recent years, the old castle and its various structures have been patiently restorated and stabilised.
Credit: Le Vieux Château de Saive
This conservation work, in particular the repointing of the masonry, has emphasised the forms and redesigned the volumes, making it possible to better understand and appreciate the whole. Panels have been added to the site to inform visitors of how the work was carried out.
In 1911, a Merovingian burial site was discovered by chance in one of the castle's ditches.
Le Donjon de Montauban, Luxembourg
The site of this dungeon, nestled in the heart of the forest, is famed for being a place full of history and legends, as people have lived on this rocky spur since the Celtic period and the construction of the Montauban refuge in the Second Iron Age.
At the foot of Montauban. Credit: Visit Wallonia
It was later redeveloped in the High Middle Ages, with the construction of a keep and the establishment of secondary defences, as it was during this period that Gallo-Roman bas-reliefs from famous funerary monuments were used in the fortification. However, the keep was later burnt down.
During your visit to the site, one of the Four Aymon Sons will tell you about its history while an exhibition of contemporary art linked to the history of Montauban is on show at the Centre d'art contemporain du Luxembourg belge (CACLB), which is on the site.
