Castel de Lindthout

In 1867, a grand vision began to materialize in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert. This vision was the Castel de Lindthout. It was originally commissioned by Auguste Beckers, a Catholic lawyer from Brussels. The architect, Florimond Vandepoele, a student of the renowned Jean-Baptiste Bethune, designed the castle in the Neo-Renaissance Flemish style. The Castel de Lindthout quickly became a prominent landmark. It showcased the evolving architectural trends of the time. In 1889, the Castel de Lindthout changed hands, becoming the property of Viscount René de Maupeou of France. A new chapter began in 1898 when Charles-Henri Dietrich, a banker and businessman, acquired the estate. Dietrich, who also later owned Valduchesse, initiated several transformations to the Castel de Lindthout. These included interior renovations by painter-decorator Jean Van Holder, exterior modifications by architect Edmond De Vigne, and a significant expansion of the park by landscape architect Louis-Léopolod Van der Swaelmen. Dietrich sold the Castel de Lindthout in 1903 to the Dames du Sacré-Coeur de Lille. They had been forced from France due to the Combes Act, which restricted religious communities’ educational rights. The sisters promptly established the Institut du Sacré-Coeur de Lindthout in 1904, a boarding school initially for French students. Architect Julien Walckiers added a Neo-Gothic wing south of the original castle. By 1912, the school opened its doors to Belgian students, marking a significant shift in its history. The school expanded further over the years. Architect Paul Dhaeyer contributed to this in 1950. Prefabricated temporary classrooms appeared near Albert-Elisabeth Avenue for kindergarten students in 1954. The school merged its boarding and day programs in 1947 and closed its boarding section entirely in 1976. Originally a girls’ school, except for kindergarten, the Castel de Lindthout became co-educational in 1986. The Dames du Sacré-Coeur left the Castel in 1996. Two years later, the municipality of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert purchased it. They established an academy of music, dance, and dramatic arts, coexisting with the Sacré-Coeur de Lindthout school. The park and several buildings, including the Castel, church, boarding school building, former stables, and gardener’s house, were classified as historical monuments in 2002. The Castel de Lindthout stands today as a testament to its rich history. It continues to serve the community, embodying the spirit of education and the arts.