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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Vandamme Castle, located in Cassel in the Northern Department, is a former ecclesiastical property confiscated during the French Revolution. Purchased in 1794 by General Dominique-Joseph-René Vandamme, it was renamed "La Frégate" because of its unique architecture evoking a ship. Vandamme, Count of Empire and peer of France, radically transforms him: adding one floor to the windows into portholes, a gazebo with views of the English coast, and a colonnade surmounted by a pediment decorated with imperial eagle. Inside, sumptuous, mixes marbles, woodwork and tapestries, while the English-speaking park amazes visitors.

The castle was looted several times in the early 19th century. In 1814, the Russian Cossacks of General Geismar ransacked him and burned him in retaliation for the Vandamme campaigns in Russia. In 1815, local crowds invade the estate twice, stealing wine and then requiring military intervention to avoid degradation. Despite these trials, the testimonies of the time, like that of Hyacinthe Corne, underline the exceptional beauty of the places, both in their architecture and in their environment.

Ranked a historic monument in 1980, Vandamme Castle is now at risk. Released in 2017 after the death of its owner, it rapidly degrades: invasive vegetation, collapsed roofs, cracked walls and walled windows. Local associations, such as the Imperial Circle of Flanders, try to mobilize donors and investors to save it, but the lack of a committed owner blocks access to subsidies. Despite its critical state, the castle remains a symbol of the Flemish imperial heritage, generating regional resistance for its preservation.

The layout of the castle by Vandamme reflects its audacity and its taste for originality. The portholes, rounded ends and the gazebo make it a unique architectural work. The imperial eagle pediment and luxurious interior decorations (marms, woodwork) testify to its status as Empire general. The park, designed in English, benefited from a slope offering an unobstructed view of Flanders, reinforcing the exceptional character of this area, today threatened by abandonment but still carrying history.

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