For the second episode of this season I went to the forests of Wallonia to discover a marvelous castle: Castle Miranda.

The history of this castle begins when the rich Liedekerke-Beaufort family, who already own a castle, decide to built another castle that they can use in the summer. They ask the brilliant English architect Edward Milner to design it. He comes up with a plan that includes countless towers, conical roofs and more than 500 windows.

Work starts in 1866 and the big clocktower in the center is finished in 1903. Unfortunately Milner never gets to see the end of his work, as he dies before the building is completed in 1907. But after 4 decades of construction the final result is truly breathtaking. Castle Miranda has become an astonishing castle with lots of Neo-Gothic details.

During the second World War, the castle is briefly occupied by German troops. During the Battle of the Bulge, there is also fighting on the property. After the war the castle is taken over by the National Railway Company of Belgium (NMBS) and used as an orphanage. Later it serves as a vacation home for children who suffer from ill health.

The name of the castle is changed to Castle Noisy. The regime at Noisy is strict, it is run by female officials and the children dress uniformly. In the square between the outbuildings a small football pitch is set up and the fountain in the garden is converted into a swimming pool.

In the 1990′s the owners begin to search for investors, with the desire to transform the castle into a hotel. Due to the rising costs of maintenance and refurbishment, the plans fail and the last children eventually leave the castle in 1991.

After a fire claims part of the roof in 1995, the owner removes the hardwood floors, fireplaces and Italian blue marble to use in another castle. Various storms cause the roof to collapse and the building becomes more and more unstable.

In December of 2013, the owners ask permission to demolish the castle.

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