Top 20 Castles around Erpe-Mere

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.

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.

The castle of Leeuwergem from 1762 is one of the most beautiful baroque castles in Belgium. The castle is surrounded by a beautiful garden with ponds. On the avenues around the actual castle domain you can walk freely to admire the baroque building from a distance.

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).

Herzele Castle is a ruin of a moated castle, built in the course of the 11th century. It was the residence of the lords of Herzele and has been a protected monument since 1957. The castle was destroyed and rebuilt several times. In 1579, after destruction by the Spaniards, it was not rebuilt due to a lack of funds of the then residents, Prince Willem d'Espinoy and Ernestine van Arenberg. The ruin was sold, one tower was retained to assert the right of privilege. Restoration in 1972.

The castle has, among other things, a B&B. The castle is also a special location for events (company and wedding parties, receptions, ... Visits to the castle and park (for groups of at least 15 people) are possible by appointment. Entrance fees: Castle: €180/group + €50 for guide Park (15/5-15/10): €4.5/person Possibility to combine the visit with lunch or dinner. More information: https://leeuwergem.be/nl/index.php

The history of this courtyard goes back further than that of the castle that belongs to it. The "Neerhof van Elene", a fairly large moated castle with a drawbridge, already existed here in the 11th century. In the 11th or 12th century, the farm fell into the hands of the lords of Zottegem, who also owned the manor of Leeuwergem. Since then, the Neerhof, which served as the seat of the domanial and seigneurial rights over Elene and Leeuwergem, was called the 'court of Leeuwergem'. When a castle was first built near this Neerhof in 1425, it was given the name 'Leeuwergem Castle', a name that has been retained to this day. Interesting video simulating what the courtyard must have looked like around 1420: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lscZhifrGA&ab_channel=VisualDimensionbvba Sources: https://historical landscape.wordpress.com/2020/07/21/het-kasteel-van-leeuwergem-rond-1420/