Old Châtelet Castle

Villers-la-Ville, Belgium, Belgium

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Old Châtelet Castle, more precisely called the Vieux Châtelet de Marbais or simply Le Châtelet, is a rare medieval fortification in the hamlet of Marbais within the municipality of Villers‑la‑Ville in Walloon Brabant, Belgium, situated on a rocky spur overlooking the confluence of the Thyle river and the valley of the Ri des Goutailles.

The castle dates from the 12th or 13th century and was originally the stronghold of the lords of Marbais, serving as a buffer between the rival territories of Namur and Brabant and as a refuge for the local seigneurial family. Its most distinctive feature is a massive, three‑storey donjon (keep) built of schist with walls about 1.80 metres thick, surrounded by a courtyard and once linked to a larger complex of defensive buildings and earthworks.

The castle was burned in 1554 by French forces under King Henri II during the Italian Wars, after which it gradually fell into ruin but retained its imposing keep as a clear example of an early medieval strongpoint in the region. Today the site is a private property, so visitors can admire the exterior and the remaining structures from nearby paths and walking routes that also pass the old watermill of Châtelet and connect with trails around the famous Cistercian Abbey of Villers‑la‑Ville, making it a notable stop on regional heritage walks.