Château de Villers-sur-Lesse

The first documented mention of the castle dates back to 1316. Initially owned by the Lords of Celles, the estate passed to the Counts of Merode in 1637 through the marriage of Catherine de Celles to Itel-Frederic von Merode. Later, it fell to the Marquis de Merode-Deinze and was sold before 1733 to the industrialist Gideon Desandrouin, who was elevated to Vicomte by the German Emperor in 1733. His son Jean-Jacques Desandrouin inherited the estate. In 1857, the castle was partially destroyed by a fire; only the right wing was rebuilt, while another wing remained in ruins.