Top 20 Castles around Asse

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.

superb, well-maintained and very varied park

This castle has been a ruin since the end of WWII. Work is now being done to prevent it from collapsing further.

The restoration of the castle ruins has started.

The Castle of Laeken is one of the royal residences in Belgium. It is located in Laeken, part of the city of Brussels since 1921, in the north of the Brussels region. It is surrounded by a 120-hectare park, which also contains the Royal Greenhouses.

Groenenberg Castle and its park domain, located in Gaasbeek and Vlezenbeek, has been owned by the Flemish Community since 1981, which had it thoroughly restored in 1992. The domain was opened to the public on 17 July 1990. The castle was built around 1890, in an eclectic style. The 45 ha English landscape park was designed by Edmond Galoppin, one of the most famous landscape architects of that time. The park is characterised by winding roads, curved forest edges and extensive lawns, low flower beds, solitary trees and shrubs. Didactic identification plates have been placed on the most remarkable trees. The park is connected to the historic domain and castle of Gaasbeek.

Situated in a beautiful domain, partly on Vlezenbeek, partly on Gaasbeek and adjacent to the historical domain of Gaasbeek. The domain, currently with a surface area of 45 hectares and the highest point of the municipality (82.5 metres), is partly laid out as an English landscape park with a considerable forest area and pasture. To the west of the more or less centrally located castle with neo-Flemish Renaissance elements, lies the former farm, originally consisting of a staff house with horse stables and coach house; in addition, a pleasure garden to the east of the castle and a forester's house at the north-western entrance on the territory of Sint-Martens-Lennik have also been preserved (Groenenberg 25). (Inventory of Immovable Heritage)

After the castle on the Borgtberg burned down during the Grimbergen War (1141-1159), the Lords of Grimbergen built a new residence at the place called "Boksem", about 600 m south of the village centre and the Norbertine abbey. This probably did not happen until the end of the 13th or in the 14th century, as no deeds were signed at the castle in Grimbergen in the 13th century. This castle was also demolished down to its foundations after a siege in 1488 by Maximilian of Austria and in 1489 by Duke Albert of Saxony. Reconstruction began at the end of the 15th century, possibly on the old foundations. The map book of the abbey (1699) and the copper engraving by Sanderus (1727) show a walled castle on the north side preceded by a walled farmyard. (Inventory of Immovable Heritage)