Castle Jehay
The Domain
Château de Jehay, a listed part of Wallonia's outstanding heritage, is an iconic site and one of Province de Liège's most popular tourist attractions.
The building, with its very particular architecture described as “checkerboard”, which is unique in Europe, saw the light of day in the middle of the 16th century and has never stopped developing ever since.
The castle was the property of Count Guy van den Steen de Jehay and of his wife Lady Moyra Butler, a descendant of an illustrious aristocratic family from Ireland. In 1978, the count sold the domain, the castle and a part of his collections in return for a lifetime annuity to Province de Liège, in the hope of seeing this site kept up and safeguarded for future generations.
The domain's dependencies welcome numerous visitors. A tourist film offers not only an exploration of the site's history but also a virtual tour of the castle, the way it was when its final proprietor lived there.
Permanent exhibitions unveil the two complementary facets of the history of these magnificent collections.
The castle, surrounded by moats, is located amid an idyllic setting. The so-called “Italianate” parks and gardens are real leafy backdrops, in which remarkable trees stand side by side with palisaded limes.
The former kitchen garden, dating from the 19th century, was recently restored. On the edge of the forest, enclosed by a brick wall and extending across one hectare, the place is perfect for daydreaming. Visitors will come across old varieties of vegetables, edible flowers, fruit trees or delicate roses, and more...
