Château de La Hulpe

La Hulpe, Belgium, Belgium

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Château de La Hulpe, also known as Solvay Castle, is a large 19th‑century château in the municipality of La Hulpe in Walloon Brabant, Belgium, set on a hill above a lake within the 227‑hectare Domaine Solvay park.

It was built between 1833 and 1842 for the Marquis Maximilien de Béthune in a Flemish neo‑Renaissance style, with red brick walls, natural stone dressings, four towers and four turrets, and gardens inspired by French châteaux of the Loire Valley.

In 1893 the estate was bought by the industrialist Ernest Solvay, who extensively renovated both the park and the interior, with work by architects including Victor Horta, adding a French formal garden, terraces, and distinctive features such as Horta’s unusual water pump within the grounds. 

The château itself is not normally open to the public for regular visits but is used for high‑end receptions and events, while the surrounding park remains freely accessible and is known for its rhododendrons, sculptures, walking trails, obelisk, and nearby cultural sites such as the Fondation Folon museum.