Fallais Castle

Fallais Castle, locally known as Château de Fallais, lies in the village of the same name, in the province of Liège in the Wallonia region in Belgium.

Fallais Castle began as a simple keep built by the Beaufort family around 1150, near the Mehaigne stream. During the 13th century, it was enlarged to become a full-scale castle. In 1275, during the War of the Cow, it was besieged by the people of Liège.

In 1468, it was the meeting place for the Duke of Burgundy, Charles the Bold; the French King Louis XI; and the prince-bishop of Liège, Louis de Bourbon, before Liège was ransacked by the duke's powerful army.

During the siege of Huy in 1678, King Louis XIV of France stayed at Fallais Castle for several days. When he left, he ordered the eastern Bourgogne tower and the western Grignard tower to be bombarded because it pleased him. Only the Grignard tower was later rebuilt in sandstone.

In 1882, the castle was restored by architect Van Assche, who preserved its defensive character but sacrificed some medieval features, such as the original drawbridge. The castle was damaged by fire in 1937. The bridge, gatehouse, and Grignard tower have been protected as monuments since 1988.

The castle has a square layout with round corner towers, arranged around a rectangular courtyard. It is a typical lowland castle built of limestone and surrounded by a moat.

Today, Fallais Castle can be visited for a fee. This was not the case when I came by in 2005, so I will have to return someday.

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