Palace Theatre Chimay [Chimay]
Théâtre du château de Chimay
Theatre building in Chimay, Belgium
theaterzaal en Chimay, Henegouwen, België
Palace Theatre Chimay
No heritage stage machinery In the castle of the prince of Chimay is the only court theatre in Belgium that is located inside the walls of the castle. In the seventeenth century, there already was a theatre, located in the courtyard. Even then, music festivals were taking place. In 1863 is started with the construction of a baroque theatre inside the castle, after a design by the architects Cambon and Lefuel. The theatre is below ground level, because they didn t want to lift the roof. Since the castle is build on a rock, the theatre is excavated in the rock. The Royal box is at ground level, and has access to the ball room. In 1935 practically the whole castle was destroyed by fire, but the theatre was saved. In 2011, The present prince of Chimay, prince Philippe commission an important renovation of the theatre. The paintings were done by Thierry Bosquet, former head painter at the national opera La Monaie De Munt.
The Lords of Chimay – who became Princes in 1482 – ruled the Chimay region from 1241. Their castle was almost completely destroyed by a fire in 1935 – but for the theatre to which a new building in the style of Henri IV was attached. The theatre had been commissioned in 1861 by Joseph II, 16th Prince of Chimay. He had served the new Kingdom of Belgium as ambassador and at the same time acted as mayor of Chimay. Invited by him, Trappist monks founded the famous Scourmont abbey. As architect of the new theatre the Prince chose the French architect and stage designer Charles-Antoine Cambon (1802–1875). He brought with him the plans of the first theatre at Fontainebleau that had burned down in 1856. Now Cambon created a new version of this French theatre in Chimay: a jewel in the crown of Belgian theatres. Inaugurated in 1863, it seats 200 spectators and is used occasionally for concerts.
Palace theatre, built 1863 by Charles-Antoine Cambon for Joseph de Riquet, Count of Caraman and Prince of Chimay, in a neo-gothic wing of the Château de Chimay. 1959 restoration works. Closed in 1984. From 1991, major restoration. Also known as Théâtre du Château and Théâtre Tallien.