The dying beauty of abandoned castles. Abandoned Miranda Castle, Ardennes Palace of Prince Said Hasim, Cairo, Egypt

Chateau Miranda ( Chateau Miranda) – this is the name of one of the most expensive abandoned castles in the world. It is located in the Belgian city of Sel, among a dense forest. The second name of the summer palace is Chateau de Noisy ( Chateau de Noisy). The castle, which is 152 years old, was built in neo-Gothic style according to the sketches of the architect Edward Milner and amazes with its grandeur.

Climbing the mountain and looking at the castle from afar, it is even difficult to imagine that it has been forgotten and abandoned. The expensive palace belonged to the family Liedekerke De Beaufort, until it was leased to the Belgian Ministry of Transport in the 1940s.

At first, a camp for children was located in the castle, but since the 1970s. His work was stopped, and in 1991 they stopped looking after him altogether.

The castle is still abandoned and has begun to collapse. But the most interesting thing in its history is that Miranda has an owner, he is one of the heirs of the Liedekerke De Beaufort family. For some time he lived in a nearby Veves Castle, which belonged to their family, then went to France, but refused to give the family “nest” to the Belgian authorities for restoration.

Castle Miranda has already lost its glass windows, unique stucco, several stairwells and has become a shelter for the homeless. It becomes sad when you realize how quickly the castle is being destroyed.

The abandoned architectural miracle will not last long, so we advise you to have time to look at the grandiose Miranda if you are passing through Belgium.

Photo source: Andrey Novozhilov

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There are so many beautiful buildings that have become victims of the inexorable passage of time. Neo-Gothic castle of the 19th century, famous

like Miranda Castle, it preserves the memory of a past turbulent life. Commissioned by the Liedekerke-Beaufort family, the castle was

built by English landscape architect Edward Milner.

The castle was completed in 1866 and was hidden in the Ardennes. The Liedekerke-Beaufort family left the castle at the beginning of the First

world, after which the castle fell under the control of the Nazis, later there was a shelter in it and eventually the castle became

owned by the national railway company of Belgium. So he was able to hold out until the 1980s, and since 1991 he

was completely abandoned. Today you will come across an abandoned building, broken windows... It's sad... The castle stands

at the mercy of wind and rain, not to mention local vandals. Inside, the building is strewn with pieces of plaster all over the floor.

But passing by, you cannot help but admire the beauty of this castle. I want to see this beauty with my own eyes, but for now

You can look at the beautiful photographs.

No less beautiful and captivating castles will appear before you. Unfortunately, they did not become so popular, and their demise is not far off. But still they deserve to be an object of admiration.

1. Podgoretsky Castle, Ukraine

One of the best architectural monuments in Europe in the Renaissance style with bastion fortifications. Once an important defense point and the estate of the Crown Hetman Koniecpolski, today it is a medieval ruin, which they are trying with all their might to revive.

The fall of the fortress began at the beginning of the twentieth century with the advent of the First World War. Then the castle was used as a refuge for the Austro-Hungarian army. Then for a short time there was a museum of paintings here. But soon, at the height of World War II, Soviet troops set up a hospital here, where they treated patients with tuberculosis. Then there was a fire, when the last remains of the former grandeur of the castle's interior burned down.

Today the castle belongs to the Lviv Art Gallery, which takes care of itshim. Currently closed for repair and restoration work. Does the castle itself remind you of anything? Of course! D'Artagnan was filmed there.

2. Miranda Castle, Celle, Belgium

The rather young castle was built in 1866 to order for the noble Ledekerke-Bofot family by an English architect. Perhaps that is why it resembles the appearance of a private English school in the suburbs or a fashionable junior college.

Five generations of the owner's family lived here until the Second World War. Then the estate was seized by the Belgian railway company. Since 1956, a children's camp has been located here. Then the castle was called Chateau de Noisy, Castle of Noise and Balagan. But it has been empty since 1991. One of the last descendants of the family, already an old man, lives somewhere in France and is categorically against the sale of property. Maybe he’s right, but the castle is already falling apart: it has become a den of homeless people and refugees.

3. Halcyon Hall, Millbrook, New York, USA.

“Halcyon Hall” is, first of all, a hotel that was built in 1890, but after 11 years in 1901 it was closed because it was not profitable. But six years later, Halcyon Hall welcomed guests again. May Bennett, the founder of a college for girls, had been looking for a suitable place for her students for a long time. And finally finding this nice place, she settled here for 70 long years. In 1978, the college was dissolved due to lack of funds, and Halcyon Hall was empty, it seems, forever...

4. Lillesden Mansion, UK

Lillesden Castle has almost the same fate: it is also empty...

But first it was built as the mansion of one of the rich and successful bankers of the mid-19th century, Edward Lloyd. More than fifty years later it became a building for a public school for girls, but after a while it also went bankrupt. Therefore, Lillesden has been abandoned since 1999.

5. Bannerman Castle, New York, USA

From the looks of this castle, you would never guess where it is! It seems to be a typical building for old England, old Europe. But no! In fact, Bannerman Castle is located just 50 km from New York on a small island.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, a Scottish immigrant named Bannerman came to these parts. He bought an island, built a fortress, where he hid a lot of ammunition, which was his capital in business. From this moment the turbulent history of the castle began. The fact is that the ammunition began to explode with the death of its owner, destroying parts of the castle. Today all that remains of the building is the back part.

6. Estate in Muromtsevo, Russia

This mansion is a very rare example of the French style in Russia. Few landowners dared to take such courage - to move away from traditional construction. This was Colonel Khrapovitsky. In general, a wise and intelligent leader of the nobility.

It is worth noting his foresight: with the advent of Soviet power, he voluntarily transferred his mansion to the new state with a complete inventory of property. He did this so that his child would avoid the devastating consequences of the nationalization of property. In general, Khrapovitsky judged correctly, because the castle was not mutilated, abandoned or destroyed, and was constantly in the field of view of local authorities.

Today, activists have achieved special status for the castle in Muromtsevo.

7. Prince Said Hasim Palace, Cairo, Egypt

A completely atypical performance style for the Egyptian region. We expect to see something akin to an ancient pyramid, with windows, towers and statues. And in front of us it looks like an ordinary five-story “Stalin” building!

Once a family mansion, after a while - a private school for boys, and now also an empty hundred-year-old castle.

We went here to the Ardennes to see the house. It's true that it's undergoing renovation, but it's located in a quiet place, surrounded by forest, with a beautiful view from the window. I think we should take it! =)

2. During the French Revolution, Count Liedekerke-Beaufort had to flee his castle of Vêves and hide on a farm nearby. Over time, the ardor of the revolutionaries cooled down, and the count's farm grew, and he proposed to the English architect Edward Milner to build a castle on the site of the farm. Milner, not being a fool, agreed and in 1866 Miranda Castle arose. In 1903, the French architect Pelchner began work on the construction of the central tower, and completed it in 1907. During the Second World War, aka the Great Patriotic War, the castle was occupied by the Germans. After the Germans, the count was reluctant to live there, so he gave the castle to the Belgian Railways for use. The Belarusian Railways organized a pioneer camp for the children of railway workers in the castle. In 1991, a killer fungus was discovered in the castle and the children were hastily evicted, but the castle remained. It stands there, slowly falling apart...

3. The path to the castle lies through an overgrown and also crumbling bridge. But with a cross.

4. They say it’s a projector, but who knows! =)

5. Entrance to the utility rooms, but we won’t go there.

6. The castle greets visitors with a red peeling ceiling and carved frames. All the frescoes were knocked out either by the Nazis or by children...

7. On the table in the hall there is a book with the history of the Liedekerke-Beaufort family.

8. A beautiful staircase with blue ceilings leads to the second floor.

9. View of the staircase from the first floor.

10. Second floor.

11. "Staircase" to the tower. No railings, no steps.

12. The tower offers an impressive view of the surrounding area, including the old family castle of Vêves (château de Vêves). By the way, you can go on a tour there for 5 euros.

13. Getting down from the tower

14. And we go for a walk on the third floor. There isn't much floor left; you have to walk on the beams. In some places, there is no ceiling left, and through the beams you can see everything up to the first floor (see the second small preview under the picture)

15. Some rooms, however, are quite well preserved.

16. And some have not survived at all...

17. There was a fire on the left side of the castle, which ruined a lot of things.

19. Sometimes there are stuck doors.

20. Well, we’ll go to the basement, that’s where the most interesting things are!

21. There are still classes for children. Some strange booths with glass (second preview)

22. The kitchen and passage are even lower, but flooded with water.

23. The lockers are exactly the same as Fallout! Totally awesome.

24. A terrible place is the bathroom. Apparently the children wash in the showers, and the pioneer leaders in the bathrooms. Boys on the right, girls on the left. By the way, the bathrooms and walls in the toilets are all stained with BLOOD!!! Okay, just kidding, just paint.

25. After all, someone was not too lazy to remove the shells and bang them on the floor.

26. Welcome to bathroom number 208

27. There are still lockers and drawers in the living quarters...

28. Coffins for the naughty!