Designed by British architect Milner in 1866, Castle Miranda became the opulent home to a wealthy French family in the Belgian village of Celles. Sadly, today it lies in ruins... but amazing ruins.
Photo © David Herreman via Flickr
After World War II, the castle became the residence for children of Belgian railway workers, and it remained open as a children's home until 1991. From that point, the castle's condition quickly deteriorated; with no one in charge of its upkeep, the once palatial estate fell victim to the elements and vandals, including some with a macabre sense of humor, who “accented” some of the rooms with creepy mannequins and dolls... as if the place weren't creepy enough already.
Photo: Xacor.com
Despite its many structural dangers – including collapsing stairways and ceilings – Castle Miranda remains one of the most popular destinations for urban explorers and photographers, and we can definitely see why.
Photo: P.J.L Laurens/Wikimedia Commons
We're also wondering why someone hasn't pounced on the opportunity to use the castle as a filming location for a haunted house flick – seriously, it looks ready to shoot, no set dressing needed. This crumbling staircase even calls to mind Bela Lugosi's legendary entrance in Tod Browning's 1931 Dracula.
Photo © David Herreman via Flickr
You can see more amazing photos of the castle at urban exploration blog Environmental Graffiti.