Fall from grace: Pictures of fascinating and eerie crumbling mansions from around the world Once the symbols of wealth and power, blighted, burned and decaying mansions still tower from Belgium to New York as the last haunting vestiges of a bygone era, reminding visitors that nothing lasts forever. Pidhirtsi Castle built in Ukraine in the mid-17th century suffered the first blow during World War I when Russian soldiers destroyed its lavish interior. After World War II, the once grand estate reopened as a tuberculosis hospital. But in 1956, the ramshackle castle caught fire that raged for three weeks, obliterating the last remnants of its beauty. Distant memory: Kasteel van Mesen in Lede, Belgium, was razed in 2010 after nearly 500 years Multi-purpose mansion: In the course of its long history, Kasteel van Mesen housed a gin distillery, a tobacco factory, and in the beginning of the 20th century a boarding school for girls Ravaged beauty: Pidhirtsi Castle built in Ukraine in the mid-17th century suffered the first blow during World War I when Russian soldiers destroyed its lavish interior Château Miranda was built in Celles, Belgium, in 1866 by the prominent and wealthy Liedekerke-Beaufort family. During World War II, the grand building was taken over by the National Railway Company of Belgium, according to the site io9.com. It has stood empty since 1991, its facade and interior slowly crumbling, in part because the family refuses to turn it over to the municipality. Also in Belgium, the long-abandoned nearly 500-year-old Kasteel van Mesen in Ledes met a worst fate when it was razed to the ground in 2010. In the course of its long history, the castle housed a gin distillery, a tobacco factory, and in the beginning of the 20th century a boarding school for girls. Status symbol: A Scottish immigrant, Francis Bannerman, purchased a small island in 1900 and built a castle to advertise his military surplus business Fiery end: Tragedy struck Bannerman Castle in 1918 when 200 tons of ammunition exploded, destroying a part of the structure Lillesden Estate Mansion in the U.K. built between 1853 and 1855 by banker Edward Lloyd also housed a school for girls, but the red-brick mansion has been abandoned since 1999 when the institution closed its doors. Across the pond in New York, a Scottish immigrant, Francis Bannerman, purchased a small island in 1900 and built a castle to advertise his military surplus business. But tragedy struck the ornate building in 1918 when 200 tons of ammunition exploded, destroying a part of the structure. Then in 1969, a fire ravaged the floors and roofs of the castle. Blighted building: Château Miranda was built in Celles, Belgium, in 1866 by the Liedekerke-Beaufort family, but during World War II, the grand building was taken over by the National Railway Company of Belgium In Limbo: Château Miranda has stood empty since 1991, its facade and interior slowly crumbling, because the family refuses to turn it over to the city The damaged castle has been vacant since 1950 after the only ferryboat that serviced the island sank in a storm. In 2009, a third of the remaining structure collapsed. In Millbrook, New York, the once impressive Halcyon Hall, which housed a luxury hotel at the turn of the last century and later served as a campus for the prestigious Bennett School for Girls has been standing empty since 1978. Forgotten: Lillesden Estate Mansion in the U.K. built between 1853 and 1855 by banker Edward Lloyd housed a school for girls, but has been abandoned since 1999 when the institution closed its doors Ruins: In Millbrook, New York, the once impressive Halcyon Hall housed a luxury hotel at the turn of the last century Haunted hallways: Halcyon Hall later served as a campus for the prestigious Bennett School for Girls but has been vacant since 1978