September 24, 2008
Belgian Castle sold at Auction for Silly Price
One of the best preserved medieval fortresses in Europe was sold at auction on Monday
Corroy Le Chateau
Now, this is luxury real estate. The 13th Century, Corroy-le-Château, Belgium, was auctioned off to the highest bidder on Monday. Located south of Brussels and surrounded by a moat, the castle sits on approximately 12-acres of parkland and was originally built by the noble William of Brabant with seven original towers and massive walls. Any future conservation work undertaken by the new owner will be government-subsidized, because the castle is a historic landmark, which attracts large numbers of tourists from around the world. Particularly impressive is the neo-Gothic hall, the chapel from the year 1270, as well as lounges, where numerous paintings and other possessions of the family are displayed. (although perhaps not for much longer.)
The famous, 800-year-old Belgian chateau was what I consider to be a serious bargain. The sale was being forced by court order. The last owners, family of the Marquis of Trazegnies and descendants of Brabant, have spent years fighting over ownership since the death of the old Marquis - the courts had finally given up hope of a settlement being reached and ordered the sale - no reserve.
The castle was eventually bought by Flemish artist Wim Delvoye. Final sale price - €3.3 million ( $4.85 million)
For 5000 square meters of historic living space and 12 acres of parkland- this is a pretty silly price. M. Devoye plans to turn it into a museum of contemporary art. Details of the castle and sale can be found here, and go here for a detailed look at castles for sale.
Belgian Castle sold at Auction
Filed under Luxury Properties by Mark Knowles
March 8, 2008
Celine Dion Rocks Dubai Royalty
Dubai - Celine Dion’s Live in Dubai concert was an exceptional success, exceeding all expectations. The concert which Dubai had been anticipating since November 2007, had all 12,000 fans singing along with great enthusiasm.
Celine emerged in a Kaftan, looking as glamorous as ever. The Diva warmed up the crowd with all time hits ‘I drove all night’ and ‘Power of Love’. Before launching into her latest hit ‘Taking Chances’, the Canadian artist spoke about her 3 day experience in Dubai referring to the city as a "a beautiful place, where the action is, the city of the future". Celine told fans that when she decided to go a world tour she knew it would not be without stopping in Dubai. Celine ended her speech shouting "shukran" out to all her Arab fans, who were ecstatic to hear the diva speak in their native language. Celine covered classic hits by legends Queen and James Brown.
Royalty and celebrities adorned the VIP lounge in their haute-couture. Princess Haya was spotted with an entourage of girlfriends, while Roger Federer, visiting Dubai for the Dubai Tennis Championship, chose to keep his presence more low key, staying out of the spot light and focusing on Celine Dion’s vocals.
The concert was performed at the Four Seasons Golf Club, Dubai and was the first concert at the venue. Celine’s team found that none of the other potential venue sites visited exuded enough elegance. Kusasa, organizers of over 10 of Celine’s concerts, went through special measures with the RTA to guarantee free flowing traffic on the day of the concert.
Audiences are able to enjoy the luxurious 32,000 square meters of luscious green fields and the gorgeous arena. For VIP guests, the chic Blades Restaurant serves as the pre-concert lounge where guests mingle with a selected number of VIPs and socialites. With its magnificent terrace overlooking the stage, they have the option to watch the concert form Blades or equally make their way down and get involved with the rest of the crowd. Food and Beverage stalls line up outdoors in each relevant ticket section to cater for the large numbers. Packaged Deli Gourmet Sandwiches, Burgers, Hot-dogs, fries, as well as healthy salads and a selection of deserts are available. “The Four Seasons Golf Club is delighted to be the venue for the Celine Dion ‘Taking Chances’ Dubai concert. The staging of Celine’s concert in this unique venue, with the Club’s stunning design as the backdrop, is a compliment to her undisputed talent,” commented Mr. Bahram Sepahi, Regional Vice President and General Manager of Four Seasons Golf Club.
Four Seasons Golf Club
Filed under For Enthusiasts by Mark Knowles
