The domain with its woods, river and vast hunting grounds was acquired in 1840 by King
Leopold I at the request of his spouse Queen
Louise-Marie. At first, a
hunting lodge was erected on a beautiful terrace overlooking a deep forested valley. The present
château was erected later by King
Leopold II. The edifice was designed by his court architect
Alphonse Balat. Since then, the château has always served as a holiday retreat to the
Belgian royal family. In 1960, it was the venue for the press presentation of King
Baudouin's fiancé
Dona Fabiola de Mora y Aragon. More recently, the children of King
Philippe—
Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant, Prince
Gabriel, Prince
Emmanuel and Princess
Eléonore—were baptized in the château's chapel. The royal family also owned other castles and châteaux in the direct vicinity of Ciergnon.
Fenffe Castle is still in use as a holiday retreat by the royal family. The
Royal Château of Ardenne was, according to the wish of Leopold II, converted into a luxury hotel. It was closed after
World War II and destroyed by fire in 1968. ==See also==