Bringing back long lost glory architectural history of the de Blondel de Beauregard castle

Abstract

As the evening falls over the de Blondel de Beauregard Castle and the cool summer breeze sways the hanging branches of the weeping willows standing on the opposite side of the lake, one could almost say that time has stopped for many years. Today, the splendor of the once so prestigious castle is hidden by climbing plants, broken windows and walls covered with graffiti. After being abandoned for many years, it is now time to bring back the long, lost glory of this castle.
The aim of this dissertation is to establish a conservation management plan of the de Blondel de Beauregard Castle, also known as the Castle of Viane. Throughout the years, the castle has transformed into the building it is today. It has known different owners and multiple functions which forced the castle to change in order to meet the taste of the new occupants and the needs of the new programs. As these alterations were not always executed with the necessary care for heritage value, a lot of historic valuable elements have disappeared and are lost forever. To safeguard the remaining valuable elements and traces of the past, a thorough analysis of the history of the building and the current state will be made whereby archival research, literature study and in situ investigation will go hand in hand. A thematic approach will be applied, discussing urban development, historical evolution, damage and heritage value. As the castle still continues to decline, this document will ensure that valuable information which embodies the rich history of the castle is listed. One may witness this richness of the past by looking at the wealthy decorated entrance hall of the castle where trompe-l’oeil wall paintings and decorative parquetry brighten up the room. Due to its high heritage value, an in-depth research will be conducted of these finishing. In this way the castle will be documented exhaustively by linking the past and the present.

Date of Award	2018
Original language	English
Supervisor	Ann Verdonck (Promotor)