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= Parc d'Enghien = The Parc of Enghien or Arenberg domain is a large domain of 182 hectares created between 1630 and 1665 by the Arenberg family. The park is located in the cities of Enghien and Silly. In 1986 the park has been bought by the city and was made public. The domain which is an exceptional green space is scattered with ponds, gardens and buildings which cover 400 years of history.

Middle Ages
A first fortification was built around 1166 by the first lords of Enghien and destroyed by Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut. At the beginning of the 13th century a new castle was erected on the site of the current entrance.

15th century
Peter II, Count of Saint-Pol, passed down the domain to his daughter Françoise of Luxembourg. In 1485 she got married with Philip of Cleves in the domain, she died in 1523 without any child. Therefore, her sister Marie of Luxembourg received the domain, she died in 1546 after her own son Charles de Bourbon (1537), so her grandson Antoine de Bourbon (1518-1562) inherited the domain. His heir was his son Henri de Bourbon who was the future King of France Henri IV (1553-1610).

The Arenbergs
On the 30 January 1606 Henri IV sold the domain to Charles of Arenberg (1550-1616). The Arenbergs who were foresters gave the park its current aspect: the domain was completely restored and embellished.

In 1645 the castle was partially devastated by a fire.

Some revolutionaries plundered the domain in 1793. When the Arenbergs came back in 1803, the place was in ruin and all the trees were cut. The Duke Louis-Engelbert of Arenberg accepted to raze the castle in 1806, he just kept the chapel which can still be seen today.

A new castle was later erected on the same site, but it burnt on the day of its opening.

20th century
The domain belonged to the Arenberg family until the 20th century and its purchase by François Empain, the brother of the baron Edouard Empain. His acquisition came with the obligation of building a new castle. That was made in 1913. In his hands the park became more beautiful and lots of statues were places. Visitors can still see those statues today. However, the maintenance and the restoration of the park were neglected. One of the pavilions were for example razed in order to install a tennis court. Later, the domain was put up for sale because it was divided by the new motorway A8. In 1986 the city of Enghien bought a plot of 182 hectares in order to restore it. Then, the city opened the park for the public.

Empain Castle
This castle which has a living area of 450 square meters, was built in 1913 for the baron François Empain by the architect Alexandre Marcel. It was built on the site of the old orangery. The two side wings were built in 1926. The castle belongs since 1986 to the city of Enghien and is now rented for several events.

Seven stars pavilion
The pavilion called the Seven stars or Temple of Hercules was built around 1650 on the highest point of the domain by the Capuchin Father Charles of Brussel (i. e. Antoine of Arenberg). It was an observatory designed in a period in which astronomy developed with the discoveries of Galilée and Copernic. From this location, it was possible to observe the horizon and the sky with a 360-degree vision.

Its name refers to the seven planets that can be observed with a naked eye. The pavilion is located in the centre of a water piece and this water piece is also situated in the middle of a triangular park. From the small pond spread out seven main paths and seven secondary paths through a heptagonal French formal garden. This structure is clearly visible on the Ferraris map. Seven statues of the seven planets that were known at this time lie at the end of the secondary paths.

In 2006 the pavilion received an important restoration.

The park today
Today, some events take place in the park:

- Since 2013, LaSemo a multidisciplinary festival (music, performances, cooking, young audience, craft…)

- The city’s Cultural Centre organises a theatre event, the Balades contées.