Top 19 Castles around Sint-Gillis-Waas

The "Hof van Belsele" or "Bishop's Castle" was built in the 18th century and purchased by Bishop Maximilliaan van der Noot, who had it partially rebuilt in 1754 and designated as a retirement home for priests. In 1904, it was radically altered on behalf of Bishop Antoon Stillemans, designed by Stephan Mortier. In 1906, the Sisters of the Holy Angels came to this domain to take care of elderly priests. On the domain, one finds a castle with a former coach house and gardener's house. There are also several mansions, an 18th-century garden pavilion, and a grotto with a statue of a saint from 1935. All of this is located in a moated park with a pond and monumental trees. The former coach house, a private residence since 2003, has a neo-Gothic interior. The castle has an old core, but its appearance is neo-traditionalist with stepped gables and the like. The symmetrical brick building has a built-in turret above the entrance. Here too, there is a neo-Gothic interior decoration, and there is a private chapel. The domain of the Hof van Belsele is private, but is opened to the public on certain occasions such as Open Monument Day or Park Day. Source: Wikipedia & ontdeksintniklaas.be

Two facts about the Cortewalle castle (domain): * The castle was owned for centuries by the de Brouckhoven de Bergeyck family and has connections to Joos Vijd, the commissioner of the famous painting The Ghent Altarpiece by the Van Eyck brothers. * The domain once formed the setting for the popular series Kapitein Zeppos – a nice detail for fans of nostalgia Source: .waasland.be

Beveren purchased the estate in 1982. It boasts the striking 18th-century neoclassical castle, but the farm, ice cellars, and orangery are also worth a visit. During the Middle Ages, the estate was called "Shaecx" after the oldest residents of the fiefdom, the Noethaeckx family. This is how the place got its name. It was Jean-Baptist Versmessen, chief alderman of the Land van Waas castellany, who laid out the estate in its current form in 1781. The English landscape garden appears in 19th-century illustrations. It remained in the Versmessen family until textile manufacturer Edmond Meert purchased the property. The castle was severely damaged during WWII, leaving only a ruin. Restoration took place between 2004 and 2007, and it is now hoped to restore the interior to its former grandeur.

Beautiful domain with a beautiful park. In the summer months on Saturdays and Sundays the terrace is open in the coach house.

Nice place to do a short stop and refuel

The Hof ter Saksen castle in Beveren is not only dazzlingly beautiful to look at, it is especially the park that is a real eye-catcher. The Hof ter Saksen castle park plays with the senses of the visitor. And the plants are so beautiful and sophisticated that each season gives its own colour, atmosphere and identity. You can stroll there for free from 10 am, in the summer until 8 pm and in the winter until 4.30 pm. Dogs on a leash are only welcome on the designated paths, not in the stream valley, the nature garden and the high-stem orchard. More information at https://www.waasland.be/hof-ter-saksen-0

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

In 1550, knight Willem van Waelwijck united the existing lordships of Van der Moeren and Willemaers into a fief, the "Hof van Walburg", named after his wife Walburgh. He had a new building constructed there, a typical moated castle in traditional sand and brick style. In addition to the castle, the domain consisted of an orchard, a garden with two avenues. It included an upper and lower court. For many years, the title "Lord of Walburg" was transferred by inheritance or sale. The successive owners gave the castle domain various purposes, including a brewery, a pharmacy and a residence. In 1789, the French Republic abolished the title Lord of Walburg. In 1846, the castle came into the hands of the Van Naemen family. Jozef Felix Van Naemen renovated the castle according to the then current taste and lifestyle. The domain acquired a purely residential character. The last residents were the unmarried sisters Alix, Gabriélla and Elisabeth Van Naemen. The grounds of the domain were expropriated in 1949. In the same year, the Sint-Niklaas municipal council decided to purchase the "castle with dependencies and lands". In 1950, part of the domain was lost for the construction of the Parklaan. In 1952, the castle domain, redesigned by landscape architect Braeckman, was officially opened as a city park. In 1975, the castle was protected as a monument and the surroundings as a landscape. In 1983, the city council had a restoration file drawn up for the castle. In the same year, the bandstand, which stood on the Grote Markt until 1966, was rebuilt in the vicinity of the castle. In 1987, the city park was given its current name, the "Romain De Vidtspark" named after the mayor of Sint-Niklaas who was the driving force behind the purchase of the castle. In 1994, the restored and redesigned Walburg castle was reopened to the public. The caretaker's house was protected as a monument in 1999. Source: information board on site