De Viron Castle Explained

Monument Name:De Viron Castle
Location:Dilbeek, Flemish Brabant, Belgium
Designer:Jean-Pierre Cluysenaar

De Viron Castle (Dutch; Flemish: Kasteel de Viron; French: Château de Viron) is a castle in Dilbeek, Flemish Brabant, Belgium. It has served as the town hall of Dilbeek and offices of the municipality since 1923 and was listed as a protected monument in 1990.

History

The castle was built in 1863 by Jean-Pierre Cluysenaar, and commissioned by the de Viron family, which settled in Dilbeek in 1775. It was built in Renaissance Revival style on the ruins of a 14th-century fortification which was destroyed in 1862. One of the medieval towers, the Sint-Alenatoren, can still be seen in the park surrounding the current building. It is named after Saint Alena, who lived in Dilbeek.[1] It became the town hall of Dilbeek in 1923, and was protected as a monument in 1990.

Architecture

The castle counts 12 towers, 52 rooms, 365 windows and 7 staircases. This refers to the Julian Calendar which has 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days and 7 days in a week. The castle lies in a park, with several other buildings of interest: a farm, an ice cellar and a coach house.[2]

References

  1. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20041031213234/http://www.dilbeek.be/index.php?id=934 . 31 October 2004 . Gemeentewebsite Dilbeek: Dilbeek . www.dilbeek.be.
  2. Web site: Toerisme Dilbeek - Zien . 2011-10-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120425050046/http://www.toerismedilbeek.be/pages/frameset/zien/dilbeek/kasteel_viron.htm . 2012-04-25 . dead .