Miranda Castle

Miranda Castle (Château Miranda), also known as Noisy Castle (Château de Noisy) is a 19th-century neo-Gothic castle in Celles, province of Namur, Belgium, in the region of the Ardennes.

History
The castle was built in 1866 by the English architect Edward Milner under commission from the Liedekerke-De Beaufort family, who had left their previous home, Vêves Castle, during the French Revolution. However, Milner died before the castle was finished. Construction was completed in 1907 after the clock tower was erected.

Their descendants remained in occupation until World War II. A portion of the Battle of the Bulge took place on the property, and it was during that time, the castle was occupied by the Nazis.

In 1950, Miranda Castle was renamed "Château de Noisy" when it was taken over by the National Railway Company of Belgium (NMBS/SNCB) as an orphanage and also a holiday camp for sickly children. It lasted as a children's camp until the late 1970s.

Today
The castle has stood empty and completely abandoned since 1991 because the costs to maintain it were too great, and a search for investors in the property failed. Although the municipality of Celles has offered to take it over, the family has refused, and the enormous building is now (as of 2015) in a derelict state, succumbing to decay and vandalism. Parts of the structure were heavily damaged in a fire and many areas of the ceiling are collapsing. Despite this, it has become a favorite venue of urban explorers.

Popular culture
The castle is used as a filming location by the American television series Hannibal. The building is shown as Castle Lecter in Lithuania.

Gallery
 File:Castle Miranda - Back Side.jpg|Rear of the castle. File:Castle Miranda tower.JPG|The 56 meter high clocktower. File:Castle Miranda bad condition.JPG|The top (4th) floor has almost entirely collapsed. File:Castle Miranda - Gate.JPG|The entrance gate. 