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24 September 2008
BELGIUM — Belgian conceptual artist Wim Delvoye is the proud owner of a medieval castle after emerging as the highest bidder with an offer of EUR 3.3 million on Monday.
The artist who is best known for his tattooed pigs and his faeces-producing installation Cloaca is planning to covert the Corroy-le-Château into a museum of modern art.
The Corroy-le-Château is one of the best preserved medieval castle in the Benelux, with massive round towers and a moat.
The castle dates back to the original builder, William of Brabant.
The oldest parts of the castle were built in 1095. It has been inhabited by the family of Marquis Olivier de Trazegnies for over 900 years. But the members of his family have been squabbling about the future of the castle for years. The dispute finally ended up in court, where a judge ordered the sale of the property.
There were three active bidders vying for the castle in the public auction. It included a historical association, the front for Marquis de Trazegnies in his attempt to keep the property that he has been renovating and maintaining for over 45 years.
[flandersnews.be / Expatica]