Completed for the Marquis Maximilien de Béthune as an imposing manor house on the outskirts of Brussels in the 1840s, the castle stands on a hill overlooking a lake set in a park with mature trees covering more than 220 hectares.

In 1893, the estate was purchased by the rich industrialist Ernest Solvay, who renovated the park and extensively remodeled the castle from its initial Flemish neo-Renaissance theme to a more elegant look with a French formal garden.

[citation needed] The remainder of the farm was designed in a charming English theme, with rhododendrons, azaleas and forest of a number of species, including huge redwoods and oak trees.

A broad lake was built with planned alleyways and vantage points providing a views of the forests.

Inside the park is a non-profit organization, an equestrian center specialized in the relation between disabled persons and horses.