Chimay castle: an interactive and historical visit

This superb castle, more than 1,000 years old, is near the Scourmont Abbey which makes the Trappist Chimay beer.

History

For more than a thousand years the ancestral home of the Princes of Chimay has dominated this ancient town in the rolling hills of the Botte du Hainaut. Set in the square at the centre of the principality, the castle was initially a simple medieval bastion which was then enlarged in the 15th century with 5 towers linked by fortified walls to improve its defensive capabilities. Over the following centuries the chateau survived siege and warfare, but in the 1930s a severe fire destroyed many of the buildings and their contents.

An extensive renovation was started immediately afterward and today the castle, which is still home to the Chimay family, is one of the gems of the Hainaut. The five principal rooms of the castle were opened to the public in 2013 comprising the great hall, the guard room, the portrait gallery, the chapel and the theatre which was modelled on the Louis XV theatre in Fontainebleau.

The theatre, built in 1863, will remind you by its decoration of Louis XV's at the Fontainebleau castle. Listed as a monument in 1958, it now is considered an exceptional cultural heritage of Wallonia.

Interactive, musical visit of the castle

Visitors can tour the chateau using a state-of-the-art interactive multimedia iPad (available in French, Dutch, English and German) which offers a choice of virtual personae of the Chimay family to act as guides. There is also a 15-minute 3D digital show in the theatre with special effects which dramatizes the principal moments of the castle’s long history.

Practical information

• Self-guided tour with a tablet - available in French, English, Dutch
• Duration of the visit: 1h30
• Movie presenting the story of the castle every hour (between 11.30 am and 4.30 pm)
• The castle also organises cultural events such as concerts, theatre plays...