enchanting castles
Remember you can click on the small pictures to get a big one


BORREKENS

The first feudal castle of Vorselaar was erected at the end of the 13th century. Swamps, to make it difficult for the attackers, surrounded the stronghold. The first known Lord of Vorselaar was “Arnolf Van Rotselaar”. His son “Gerardus van Rotselaar” was the first one to change his title into “van Vorselaar”. The castle stayed in the same family until the beginning of the 16th century. “Isabella van Rotselaar” was the last “van Rotselaar”. She married with “Michel de Croy, Lord van Chievres” and after his early death she remarried with “Thomas Schotelmans” in 1520. Upon her death, she willed the domain to her nephew “Cornelis van Bergen”. He died in 1560 and left the castle to his brother in law “Jean de Ligne”. The castle changed in the following centuries several times of owners. The current owners “de Borrekens”, who gave their name to the castle, became owners through marriage in 1898. Their descendants are still owners of the property. The castle was remodeled a couple of times and changed from a square walled stronghold into a beautiful fairytale castle. It was Count “Filips van de Werve” who gave the castle between 1850 and 1860 its current neo-gothic look. You cannot visit the castle but the park is open and you can walk around this impressive building. You find this castle in the village of Vorselaar.


ALTENA

Just outside Kruibeke on the road to Burcht you will find on your right side castle Altena. The castle was built in the 14th century. It was remodeled in 1368 and in 1380 it was under siege by the Gentenaars but Mark Van Schoonvelde defended the castle with much bravery. The castle that you can see now was built in 1594 ten years after a fire destroyed the first castle. The family "Lanfranchy" lived in the castle until 1850 after that it became property of "E. P. Filip, knight le Boucq de Beaudignies". Viscount "Julius le Boucq de Beaudignies enlarged and restored the castle in 1878. The castle is currently (not much longer) a private home for the elderly.


GRAVENTOREN


Rupelmonde is just a tiny little village on the banks of the river Schelde but it was very important in the history of Flanders. The river’s Rupel and Schelde unite on the place where Rupelmonde is built. These two rivers where economically very important in times when almost all transport was done over the rivers. So the Earls of Flanders started to build in the 12th century a gigantic water castle to defend both rivers.The enormous castle had 17 towers and you can find an illustration of this castle in the manuscript "Flandria Illustrata", written by "Sanderus". The archive of the county of Flanders found a safe home in the castle. All passing ships on both rivers had to pay duty to the city of Rupelmonde. Later on the castle was used as a prison. It was here that “Robrecht Van Bethune, Earl of Flanders” locked up his own son “Lodewijk van Nevens” because of high treason. It was also here that “Zeger van Kortrijk” ally of "Gwijde van Dampierre" was decapitated on order of the King of France. And it was also here that “Filips De Goede” locked up “Frank van Borselen” spouse of “Jacoba van Beieren”. Even "Gerardus Mercator" (a brilliant philosopher and cartography expert) was locked up here in 1544 for seven months on charges of heresy. The castle was destroyed in 1678 during a furious battle between the Spaniards and the united provinces of France. The castle was never rebuilt but they used a lot of material they found in the ruin of the castle to build other landmarks like the church of Rupelmonde. "Baron De Feltz" removed the last remains of the ruin and built on the side in 1817 a hunting pavilion. So the tower that you can see on the pictures was built after the castle was destroyed.
A visit to the tower is worthwhile, while you climb higher and higher you can find on every floor a multimedia exhibition about the history of the castle, about Mercator and Rupelmonde in general. On top of the tower you have a breathtaking view of both rivers and surrounding landscape. You can also visit some dungeons under the tower. A visit to the tower costs 75bef.


MIDELLHEIM

This castle was built in the 16th century as a summer residence for the rich patricians of Antwerp. The present building was completed in 1780 by the famous architect “Guimard”, who is also responsible for designing the Royal palace in Brussels. The castle became in 1842 property of the wealthy banker family “Edmond le Grelle”. He transformed the gardens into an arboretum. Tragedy struck the family when “le Grelle’s” both daughters died of smallpox while on a pilgrimage to Lourdes. Widow “Bathilde de Wael” leases the castle after the death of her husband to the local authorities who buy the castle in 1910 and transform it into a tearoom. In 1950 the castle gets its final destination when the park is transformed into an open-air museum of sculptures. The castle itself is at the moment a restaurant. You can visit the park / museum all year around except on Mondays. It is situated in the eastern green belt of the city Antwerp.


SHOTEN

The original 16th century castle of which, now only one tower remains, was destroyed in 1542 by the army of “Maarten van Rossem”. “Jan Van Crombach” major of Antwerp the current renaissance castle between 1543 and 1555 built. His heirs sold the castle and domain to “Melchior Schetz”. “Jan Baptist Cornelissen” remodelled the castle around 1750. The city of Schoten bought the castle in 1950 and did restorations. In 1972 tragedy struck when a fire destroyed part of the castle. Everything was restored again. The park is open to the public.


BISSCHOPPENHOF

This castle is the first time mentioned in the first half of the 14th century. When it was property of “Gijsbrecht van Doerne”. Nobleman “van Cortbeemde” buys the castle in 1631 and he enlarge the castle in the state we still can admire it now. He can however not pay off his rent and the castle is sold to “Gaspar Antheunis” in 1649. The castle is sold again publicly in 1843 and it is bought by “Marina – Regina – Josefa – Monica de Gilman de Zevenbergen”. “Marine” never married and when she passed away and in the year of our lord 1853 the castle came in the hands of “Eduard – Jan Lunden. The castle changed hands a couple of more times until it was bought by the city. The city decided in 1979 to restore the castle but this restoration is still not finished.
You can find the castle a little bit to the south of the Royal Antwerp soccer fields.


GROENENDAAL


The family “Beeckmans – De Favereau”, built this castle in 1867. The family left the property at the beginning of WWI. After the war it became a home for weak children. During WWII the Germans confiscated the castle and used it as a headquarters. After the war the castle was restored and became part of the the St.Jan Berchmans College in Deurne. A well know school in the Antwerp area.


KLAVERBLAD


This location is mentioned for the first time in 1582. In 1589 it was used as accommodation for the watchmen who had to defend this part of Wilrijk. In 1630 there is for the first time the mentioning of a castle. Count "Gonzague Moretus" buys the castle in 1904. He demolished the old castle and built a new one, which we still can admire now. The castle is private property, however, you can view it from the street.


RUNCVOORT


This castle is the first mentioned in 1530 when “Ursula Happaert” and her husband “Jacob van der Elst” bought it. Throughout history it came in the hands diocese. It stays in their hands until 1970 after which the city of Merksem buys the domain. The park is open for the public and the castle is now part of the art academy.


STEYTELINCK


The history of this castle goes way back in history. The first time we find a written confirmation about the existence of this castle is in 1410. This old castle disappeared and we do not know what happened to it. Pastor “de Keersmakere” built a new castle between 1521 and 1522. “Joachim Steudlin restored or remodelled the castle in 1571. The town of Wilrijk became owner of the castle plus domain in 1928. The castle is now a tavern and you can walk in the fairly big park.
You can find this castle in Wilrijk not far from the market place.