.Magicpic

gallery

The castle of Lestriverie at Lessines(Province of Hainaut-Belgium)is for the first time mentioned at the end of the 13th century as a "house" belonging to Jean d'Audenaerde. The latter was then located in the seigneury of the Lestriverie family, seigneury from which the castle takes its name today. Described in the 15th century as a "house and thour on a mound enclosed by water and ditches", this fortified house was built on the site of the 13th century motte castle. It was enlarged in the 16th or 17th century and became a traditional L-shaped chateau, coupled with a second L-shaped set made up of outbuildings. The castle is built in brick, limestone and sandstone on two levels. It is topped with saddleback slate roofs supported by a frieze of corbels. The facades are marked by a rubble or limestone base. The entrance is dated 1630 and is adorned with the arms of the Cottrels, owners of the castle in the 16th and 17th centuries. Classified, the Ch�teau de Lestriverie has kept all its majesty and heritage character. Its main courtyard, its moats, its turrets and its roofs always stand out to the eye of the visitor and mark the landscape.