Belgium is a country known for its magnificent architecture. It is also home to some of the most well-preserved and glamorous historic castles in Europe. Continue reading to explore some of the most beautiful castles in Belgium that you can’t miss during your trip.
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Beautiful Castles in Belgium
1. Miranda Castle
Miranda Castle is a 19th-century neo-Gothic castle, located in the Belgium region of the Ardennes. It was built in 1866 by the English architect Edward Milner under commission from the Liedekerke-De Beaufort family, who had left their previous home, Veves Castle, during the French Revolution.
A portion of the Battle of the Bulge took place on the property, and it was during that time, the Chateau was occupied by German forces.
As of June 2016, the Chateau has been acquired and is now off-limits listed as ‘private property’. Sadly, Chateau Miranda has now been demolished. They finally brought down the tower in October 2017.
2. Alden Biesen Castle
Alden Biesen Castle is one of the most famous Belgian castles, behind which lies a long history. The original structure was built almost a millennium ago by the Knights of the Teutonic Order.
The current castle, however, is a magnificent Renaissance edifice with turrets that was expanded from the original castle between the 16th- and 18th- centuries. For many decades, the castle served as the headquarters of the Teutonic Order.
Its fate changed, however, in 1971 when it was burned down. Fortunately, the Belgian government purchased and restored the property. Alden Biesen is used today as a cultural center.
3. Gravensteen Castle
If you love castles, you need to visit the mysterious Gravensteen (Castle of the Counts) in Ghent, Belgium. In fact, no visit to Ghent is complete without visiting the Gravensteen Castles, Belgium’s most enigmatic medieval castle.
This is one of the best medieval castles in Belgium, but beware; you might find that visiting this place will send shivers down your spine! It certainly has a turbulent past, but that just makes it even more interesting.
Besides the moat, massive towers, and fortifications, the castle also includes a typical medieval dungeon where you will also be able to explore a museum of torture. It’s not for the faint-hearted mind!
4. Bornem Castle
Bornem Castle is a gorgeous historic castle transformed recently into a country house. Also known as the Marnix de Sainte-Aldegonde Castle, the original structure was built in the 10th-century as a defense against Viking and Norman raids.
The castle seen today dates back to the 16th-century and was built as a residence for the 3rd Baron of Bornem and Lord of Bobadilla, Pedro Coloma.
In the 19th-century, after being purchased by the family of Marnix de Sainte-Aldegonde, the castle was demolished and a new, more grandiose structure was built to replace it.
The 14th Earl of Bornem is the current owner of the property. However, visitors are welcome and a museum was opened on the grounds.
5. Gaasbeek Castle
The first fortified castle on the site was erected around 1240 to defend the Duchy of Brabant against the County of Flanders. However, this fortress was destroyed by Brussels city troops not long after.
At the beginning of the 16th century, the Horne family constructed a brick castle on the ruins of the medieval fortress. In the following centuries, the castle was inhabited by several noble families. It obtained its medieval appearance as the result of a renovation during the years 1887-1898.
Since 1980 the castle has been owned by the Flemish Community. The castle contains impressive art collections displayed in lavishly decorated historical rooms. A remarkable collection piece is the authentic testament of the famous painter Peter Paul Rubens The castle and its grounds (a park of 50 hectares) are open to the public.
6. Bouchout Castle
A castle existed at the site of Bouchout Castle ever since the 12th-century when the first structure was built as the seat of the Duchy of Brabant. At the beginning of the 16th-century, a new owner expanded it, building a much larger and imposing castle and adding moats and gardens to give the residence an Italian Renaissance look.
In the 17th-century, the castle was bought by the Roose family. Two centuries later, King Leopold II acquired the beautiful property to serve as a residence for his sister, Charlotte, who lived there for almost five decades. Today the Bouchout Castle is located on the site of the National Botanic Garden of Belgium.
7. Bouillon Castle
Located on an outlying rock above a quaint little town, Bouillon Castle is one of the most dramatically-looking castles in Belgium. Built somewhere before the 10th-century as a residence for the Dukes of Ardenne, its history took a new turn in 1090, when the owner at the time, Godefroy de Bouillon became the first Crusader to set off to the Holy Lands, thus inspiring a religious and political movement that would last for centuries.
To pay for his journey to Jerusalem, de Bouillon mortgaged the property and eventually lost it. Although it changed owners, the castle remained in use over the centuries and was further modified into a massive fortress with drawbridges, dungeons, and torture chambers.