Wallonia (Belgium) · Hainaut, Belgium

Château de Chimay

Seat of the Princes de Chimay for five centuries, perched above the Eau Blanche in Belgium's Hainaut. Madame Tallien — Thérésa Cabarrus, 'Notre-Dame de Thermidor' — ended her days here as Princesse de Chimay, and the château's jewel is its intimate 19th-century theatre, still in use. Rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1935, it remains the family's home.

At a glance

Built: Medieval origins; rebuilt repeatedly, latterly after the 1935 fire
Style: Composite — medieval base, classical and revival rebuilding
Commissioned by: Lords and Princes de Chimay
Signature feature: The princely theatre of 1863, modelled on the court theatre at Fontainebleau
Famous résidente: Thérésa Tallien, Princesse de Chimay (died here in 1835)
The fire: Largely destroyed in 1935 and rebuilt to the historic silhouette
Ownership: Still the residence of the Princes de Chimay
Visiting: Open to visitors (seasonal, guided and immersive visits)