Belvédère Château

The Belvédère Château, c. 1900

The Belvédère Château was originally built in the 1780s, then was bought by King Leopold II in 1867. The château was meant for his sister Carlotta of Mexico, but she chose to live in the suburb of Tervuren, just outside Brussels, which left Belvédère empty for a while.

In 1890, a fire broke out in the Royal Palace of Laeken, and Leopold II and his wife Marie Henriette of Austria moved to Belvédère while repairs took place. Once the repairs were finished, Leopold and Marie Henriette moved back to the Royal Palace, while Belvédère became the residence of their youngest daughter, Princess Clementine. She lived in Belvédère until her father died and she got married, leaving the château for the Royal Palace. From there, the château was occupied by different members of the royal court.

In 1958, Belvédère was used for exhibitions during the World's Fair. The following year, the newlyweds Prince Albert II and Paola Ruffo di Calabria moved to the château, which expanded to 5 hectares (12 acres), having acquired parts of a local park. All three of the royal couple's children were born and raised in Belvédère. After the couple became the monarchs of Belgium, they stayed at the château instead of moving to the Royal Palace.

50.8915°N 4.3547°E / 50.8915; 4.3547