Top 20 Castles around Berlare

The eye-catcher of the Grote Markt is undoubtedly the belfry, which includes the old town hall and the district house. Together, they form a unique historical ensemble. The old town hall, dating from 1225, is the oldest preserved town hall in the Netherlands, recognizable by its high gable roof and round corner towers. The belfry was added in 1407 and is notable for its elegant octagonal tower with an open gallery. Inside, one of the oldest working carillons in the Netherlands hangs, which still resounds through the city every fifteen minutes. The tower has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. On the facade, you can see the motto "Nec spe nec metu" ("without hope, nor fear"), and the statues of the Counts of Flanders and Aalst. The clock face, dating from 1964, earned the tower the nickname "den Tettentoeren" (the Tette Towers) because of its striking shape. The district house, a late Gothic extension, was for centuries the place where the bailiff promulgated laws to the people. Five statues adorn the facade, including Justitia, Emperor Charles V, and Pieter Coecke, court painter and Aalst resident. Today, the city council still meets there monthly.

Between 1994 and 2015, twenty-two trees were planted in the park, symbolising laureates of the cultural prize. This annual municipal prize recognises an exceptional achievement or important contribution in the socio-cultural field. To honour them all, the twenty-two names are collected on a plaque on the wall of the castle and symbolically accompanied by a tree in the park. The 2018 laureate, Ivan Du-Tré, also features on this commemorative element. He was honoured as the author of the book 'Waasmunster in the Great War', a thorough reference work with short stories about life in our municipality during WWI. Source: information board on site

One of the largest landowners of the lordship of Moorsel was the abbey of Affligem. On one of the abbey domains, Karel van Croy, cardinal-abbot of Affligem, and later bishop of Tournai, had a moated castle built as a country house and pleasure garden in the period from 1521 to 1526. He was, said, not very strict about keeping his vows. The castle of Moorsel is a large four-sided moated castle, built in Renaissance style and flanked by four corner towers with numerous loopholes; it is located in a beautiful park south of the Eksterberg. In 1564 it came into the hands of the counts of Hoorne, who sold it to Don Cayro in 1636 and it was elevated to barony. During that period, the castle was thoroughly restored, but the general layout was largely preserved. At the end of the 18th century, the building came into the hands of the de Meer family and later of the Van der Noot family. Through family ties with the Van der Noot family, the castle was donated to Mr. and Mrs. De Meulenaire–Dessin, who lived in it for a few years and then sold it to the current owners: Willy Michiels and his wife Lisette De Rijck. The castle was expertly restored by them and thus saved from ruin.

During the preparation of the works, all areas of the castle and the outbuildings were cleared of "disturbing elements", so that the rooms now show their spaciousness of yesteryear in all their glory. Some interesting notes also emerged that provide a unique view of the history of the castle. This is how they came across the signatures of the craftsmen who worked in the castle in the distant past. Source: https://www.berlare.be/

In-depth restoration work on the castle has started since May 2023. The historic castle, outbuildings and orangery will be repurposed as the administrative center for municipal services. The works will last two years. The castle park will remain accessible during the works. Although certain parts are currently closed due to the site organization and the safety of visitors. The castle is now barely visible (as my photos show).

Puyenbrug Castle is a castle built in 1881 that has been part of the Puyenbroeck provincial domain since its foundation in 1965. Since 1976, this building has housed the Mill Museum, Mola. Wikipedia Address: Puyenbrug 5, 9185 Wachtebeke Opening hours: Closed ⋅ Opens Wed at 9:30am · More times Telephone: 09 342 42 40

History The castle grounds go back to a site with moats, originally a farm that belonged to the noble family of Berlaere. In 1630 Diegoede Castro became owner. The family later built a castle there, which was destroyed by French soldiers in 1675. It was rebuilt at the beginning of the 18th century by the van der Meersche family. The protected landscape also includes part of the former Beukenplein on Kerkhofdreef with the lane that leads in the axis of the castle entrance to Turfputstraat. The main entrance to the castle is located along Beukenplein. The fence features the coat of arms of the De Lichtervelde family, who inherited the castle at the end of the 18th century. Given their rococo style, both parallel service buildings on the forecourt of the castle were probably only constructed in the middle or third quarter of the 18th century. The then walled castle estate with courtyard, courtyards and forest at that time had a strongly geometrically divided layout, including ponds on either side of the forecourt and an ornamental garden to the south of the castle in French style. The Vanden Meersche family remained lords of Berlare and owners of the castle until 1791 when it came into the possession of the de Lichtervelde family through marriage. According to the cadastral plan of 1810, the park ponds had now been changed into irregularly shaped curved water features, which was probably accompanied by a redesign of the castle park in the then usual landscape style. Sold in 1906 to industrialist Emile Roos, it became the property of the Jonas-Roos family in 1934 and subsequently inherited by the Nicod family, who used the castle as a country estate. Purchased in 2008 by the municipality of Berlare, which plans a public destination for the castle. More information at https://www.berlare.be/e-loket-kasteel-en-park-in-berlare.html

Associated public castle park between Kerkstraat (east) and Gentstraat (north) of 4 to 4.5 hectares, was laid out around 1820-1830 in a landscape style. Park with walking paths, ornamental lawns, pond, varied trees including a number of valuable 150 to 200 year old specimens (including weeping beech, brown beech, oaks, maples, horse chestnuts). Access to the castle park with the actual main entrance located on Kerkstraat between two terraced houses; closed by iron fencing on four iron bundle pillars, crowned in typical fashion with spearheads and upright laurel wreath. On Gentstraat, the castle park on the street side is partly closed off by a brick garden wall. The part with younger masonry (presumably from the interwar period) adjacent to the side entrance in the northwest corner with an entrance gate on robust masonry gate pillars with crowning. Two 19th-century outbuildings, older than the current castle, are located on Gentstraat, both on one side adjoining another part of the castle garden wall. (Inventory of Immovable Heritage)