The 'Hof ter Linden' castle is a classicist style castle located in a highly wooded domain near the town of Edegem in the province of Antwerp.

The construction of original castle began around the 15th century. It was then described as the house with bridge and gate. Between 1587 and 1588, the castle was occupied by Irish soldiers, these soldiers left the building in a dilapidated state and until 1609 the castle remained unchanged and in decay. The castle was restored in its original state later that year.

In 1724 a lane was built on the east side of the castle and one year later, in 1725 the castles was used as a court of plaisance. The large double linden tree lane between the castle and the church dates back to 1756 and gave the castle its current name, ' Hof ter Linden' meaning 'The castle at the linden trees'.


Between 1770 and 1773 the current Classicist style castle was built on behalf of 'S.J.de Neuf'. The interior had intact Louis XVI salons. The so-called "big salon" is designed by the French sculptor 'Clodion', the dining room with bass reliefs is designed by  sculptor 'G.L.Godecharle'. The carriage house and the 17th century stables were probably added between 1751 and 1770.

https://www.amazingbelgium.be/2017/06/the-hof-ter-linden-castle-in-edegem.html

Hof ter Linden in Edegem

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It's origin goes most likely back to a Frankish settlement in the Carolingian time era. Arnoldus van Canticrode is mentioned first when he signed a deed in 1239 during the sale of a piece of land.

In 1284 it is Welter Volcaert who owns the castle. His son gives the castle to Duke Jan II of Brabant. His youngest son Lauries is knighted after his brave fighting in the battle of Woeringen in 1288. he dies however in the battle of the golden spurs when he fights on the French side.

Willem II Berthout buys Cantecroy in 1296. It is this Willem II who erects between 1296 and 1308 the high round keep that would dominate the castle until 1618. His son Wouter van Ranst and his grandson Jan van Ranst become the next owners of the castle. Jan dies without an heir and so his castle go to his brother Costen van Ranst who was succeeded by his oldest son Jan II. His son Jan III transform the castle into a fortified stronghold. Jan III also dies without a direct heir. Eight heirs would fight for a long time about who will get the castle. After a long trial it are Jan IV van Ranst and Hendrik van Ranst who are appointed to take care of the estate.

We are in the year 1538 and the castle is property of Hendrik van Pointaillier. He had inherit half of the domain and had bought the other half from Johanna van Ranst. When Hendrik dies his widow is forced to sell the castle.

The new owner is Nicolas Perrenot de Granvelle he is Grand marshal of the empire and one of the most influential noble men of Empire Charles V. His oldest son is a brilliant man and he becomes bishop of Atrecht at age 21.

The castle was under attack during the iconoclasm of 1566. The attackers were however defeated. Cantecroy was turned into a powerful stronghold by Alva. After the pacification of Gent the Spaniards had to retreat. The regiment in Cantincrode was able to withstand the attacks for a long time but were forced to surrender in 1577.

Jan Baptist Maes bought the castle in 1616. He had however lots of debt. The city of Antwerp saw in this an opportunity to take revenge on the mighty castle. They forced Jan Baptist to remove all defending feature and to tear down all towers. At the end he was forced to sell the castle. It was Philip de Godines who bought the castle. By marriage the castle went to Karel de Fiennes bailiff of Brugge. During the guardianship of the Counts of Fiennes from 1655 to 1718 the castle would get its current appearance.

After the de Fiennes the castle would go to the family Termeeren until 1823 when they sell the feudalistic castle once again this time to Baron Jozef Renier Osy de Wycken. This important man was one of the persons who would offer the Belgian throne to Leopold van Saksen-Coburg.

During the 20th century the castle is in appalling state until madam Rosalie Van Daele buys the castle and restores it with her own means into one of the most beautiful estates of Flanders. Madam Van Daele died a few years ago and the castle is now occupied by her son.

What not many people know is that Albert Einstein stayed a while in the castle when he fled for the nazi's. He was waiting in the castle for his visa to move to the USA.

http://www.castlebook.com/cantecroy-castle

Cantecroy Castle



The history of the castle and its grounds dates back to the 16th century and has included various distinguished occupants. In the large entrance hall we find the well-known Plantin family motto above the fireplace:

“Labore et Constantia”

The castle was renovated between 1927 and 1928 by Philippe Moretus de Bouchout, whose coat of arms is to be found on the façade together with that of Countess Legrelle.
In 1986 the castle was bought and restored by the Jan Onzea family, a printer’s family from Borgerhout. On 4th December of that year it was opened as a restaurant with Bert Onzea as the manager.

Kasteel Fruithof is no longer a blot on the landscape of Boechout.
From its opening in December 1986 this stately building, with its unique location in a green open space on the edge of the metropolis, has been a centre where a wide range of customers find what they are looking for.

Those who love to dine well, those attending a conference who wish for good results achieved in a peaceful atmosphere, families with something to celebrate and who appreciate a child-friendly environment and, since May 1998, a bistro, De Jongste Telg, in the castle’s former coach house.
During the summer, when the weather is nice, you can drink your aperitif and coffee on the terrace, enjoying the peace of the beautiful park with its centuries-old trees and the wonderful view of the unique lake.

Nor have the muses been neglected over the years. For twelve seasons the aperitif concerts on a Sunday morning grew into a musical feast appreciated far beyond the boundaries of Boechout. The combination of morning music and an appropriate meal was a huge success. For twelve years this was organized by Kasteel Fruithof itself with father Onzea as the driving force and sister Marleen responsible for the PR. After the death of the former in September 1999, Bert and sister Marleen decided to bring this concert tradition to an end. Two years later the thread was picked up again by the Culture Committee of the Davidsfonds of Boechout and the tradition continued with equal enthusiasm. The beautiful location and the high standard of the musicians remain the same. There is only one difference, four concerts each year instead of six.
Art has always been important at Kasteel Fruithof. Sculptors, painters, photographers, over the years there have constantly been permanent exhibitions to be admired at the castle.
And we must not forget that the green park area of Kasteel Fruithof has been the setting for ‘Buiten-Beelden-Boechout’ a number of times, in collaboration with the Culture Committee of Boechout and the ‘Let’s Find’ gallery.

https://www.kasteelfruithof.be/english/

Kasteel Fruithof

Geschiedenis

Het Solhof is een oud landgoed. De oudst gekende bezitter is Niklaas van de Wouwere in 1414. In de oudst gekende geschriften wordt gesproken van "Cholhof", Zetel van de heerlijkheid Heysselaer.  Voor het pas afgebroken kasteel stond er een prachtig slot, omgeven door een slotgracht. Dit slot werd om onbekende redenen gesloopt. Alleen de twee wachttoren­tjes aan beide kanten van de ingang, herinneren aan de oude glorie. De beide nevenge­bouwen (remises) werden einde vorige eeuw opgetrok­ken in neo-renaissance stijl. Het hoofdge­bouw dat momenteel afgebroken is, was het minst interessan­te.
In 1515 had het een oppervlakte van 32 bonniers of 44,8 ha. In 1922 spreekt Les Environs d'Anvers van een trapeziumvormig geheel van 20 ha. Thans is het domein nog 7,5 ha groot (inclusief de gebouwen die recente­lijk verkocht werden). Het domein is als landschap beschermd bij KB van 27/5/75. Het domein Solhof en omgeving zijn geklasseerd als landschap bij Besluit van de Vlaamse Executieve van 10 april 1984.
Doorheen de eeuwen was het Solhof eigendom van verschillende families.
Voor ons interessant zijn vooral de eigenaars van de laatste 150 jaar, omdat naar hen ook enkele straten in Aartselaar genoemd zijn.
In 1837 kocht Baron van Ertborn het kasteel. Na het overlijden van zijn dochter werd het Solhof eigendom van jonker Alfons en zijn zuster Ludwina de Borrekens. Intussen zijn we al in de twintigste eeuw beland. Het kasteel was in die periode een echt museum, waar prachtige schilderijen te zien waren, o.a. doeken van De Vos en Sneyers.

De volgende eigenaar was de heer Nyssens, een tabakshandelaar. Na zijn dood besloot de gemeente tot aankoop van het domein. De akte werd verleden op 13 januari 1984. In 1990 werden de gebouwen aan een hotelke­ten verkocht, terwijl het park eigendom bleef van de gemeente.


https://www.natuuraartselaar.be/Solhof/#:~:text=Doorheen%20de%20eeuwen%20was%20het,straten%20in%20Aartselaar%20genoemd%20zijn.&text=Na%20het%20overlijden%20van%20zijn,zijn%20zuster%20Ludwina%20de%20Borrekens.

De Solhof in Aartselaar

Het Kasteel Boekenberg of Boeckenberg is een kasteel in het gelijknamige Boekenbergpark in het Antwerpse district Deurne.

Geschiedenis
Een eerste nederzetting met huis en hoeve, omgeven door een watergracht, gaat terug tot de eerste helft van de 16e eeuw. Tussen 1751 en 1755 werd het huidige kasteel in rococostijl herbouwd in opdracht van Maria Knyff, weduwe J.C. Bosschaert en J.J. du Bois. Het ontwerp wordt toegeschreven aan architect Van Baurscheit.

In 1798 werd het kasteel met omliggende gronden aangekocht door de handelaar en bankier J.W. Smets. Hij liet een romantisch park aanleggen met serpentinevijver, kunstmatige heuvels, een complex met onderaardse grot en ijskelder (samen het latere Natuurhistorisch Museum Boekenberg), rotsbrug, torenruïne en beeldengroepen. Rond 1800 volgde een vijfledige Chinese pagode. In 1859 werden de geometrische tuinen uit de eerste fase in landschapsstijl getransformeerd, met onder meer een verbinding tussen vijvers en slotgracht, een fraaie gietijzeren Dellafaillebrug en aanplanting van tal van exotische gewassen. Uiteindelijk bedroeg de totale oppervlakte van het domein circa 30 hectare. In 1914 kocht de gemeente het middendeel - circa 10 hectare - van het park; de rest werd verkaveld. Pas in 1926 werd het park opengesteld voor het publiek. De vroegere spiegelvijver werd in 1934 omgevormd tot openluchtzwembad. Het kasteel kreeg verschillende bestemmingen tot het in 1956 eigendom werd van het huidige OCMW. In de jaren na 1980 werd het kasteel gerestaureerd.

Tot 2018 werd het kasteel gebruikt als Centrum voor Bijzondere Jeugdzorg, maar het Zorgbedrijf Antwerpen (voorheen OCMW) besloot het kasteel te koop te stellen.

In 2019 werd voor het kasteel een vergunning aangevraagd om het te herbouwen tot een cohousingproject voor senioren.

Kasteel Boekenberg

Het Schoonselhof is het domein waar zich de stedelijke begraafplaats van de Belgische stad Antwerpen bevindt. Het ligt op het grondgebied van de districten Hoboken en Wilrijk.

In 1911 kocht de stad Antwerpen, op initiatief van de Schepen van Cultuur, Frans van Kuyck, het landgoed Schoonselhof om het als begraafplaats in te richten. De officiële opening vond plaats op 1 september 1921. In 1936 werd het oude Kielkerkhof gesloten en in 1938 werden een groot aantal monumenten van deze begraafplaats overgebracht naar het Schoonselhof.

De omgeving van het kasteel werd in 1943 al beschermd als landschap. In 1992 werden het kasteel en neerhof beschermd als monument. Begin augustus 2007 werd de begraafplaats Schoonselhof door minister Dirk Van Mechelen beschermd.

Parkbegraafplaats
Het Schoonselhof werd ingericht als een parkbegraafplaats. Een wandeling op Schoonselhof toont een verscheidenheid aan ingerichte parken, zoals een onderhouden park met bloemperken en fraaie monumenten; een park met scheefgezakte, onleesbare en bemoste zerken en oude lindebomen; een park geflankeerd door het donker beukenbos en grafmonumenten waar ontwerpers zeer creatief te werk gingen.

In een Joods gedeelte werden grafmonumenten van de Kielbegraafplaats bijeengebracht en twee parken werden toegewezen aan de islamitische gemeenschap.

De strooiweide met vaste planten en omringd met groene heesters wordt goed onderhouden. Op 18 januari 1972 vond de eerste asverspreiding plaats.



Kasteel Schoonselhof in Wilrijk

Cleydael Castle, locally known as Kasteel Cleydael, lies west of the town of Aartselaar, in the province of Antwerp in the Flemish region in Belgium.

Cleydael Castle probably already existed in 1259 when it was owned by the Sanders van Hemessen family. It was first mentioned in 1372 when it was owned by Geeraert van der Elst. Ownership of the castle was disputed between the Sanders and Van der Elst families and in the 15th century the Sanders family retrieved the castle.

During the 16th century the castle had several owners who all adapted it to their liking. One of them was Antonio del Rio in 1556, who was the treasurer of seizures appointed by Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba and Governor of the Netherlands. In 1576 the castle was besieged and plundered by the troops of the States General of the Netherlands, led by Philip de Lalaing. This forced Del Rio to flee back to Spain. After that the damaged castle served as a home for vagabonds until 1592.

In 1613 Cleydael Castle was acquired by the Hellemans family who subsequently restored it. During the next centuries a long list of owners followed, until after WW I when it was bought by an Antwerp shipowner. He had the castle restored in the 1950's.

Cleydael Castle is a square and moated castle, with one square and 3 round corner towers. The square tower is the oldest part of the castle. It has a rectangular bailey which was also moated until 1806.

At present the castle is private property and is rented out as a party and dinner location. The domain around the castle is now used as a golf club, which has its clubhouse in the buildings on the bailey. Therefore the castle can not be visited. 


https://www.castles.nl/cleydael-castle

Cleydael Castle

Het kasteel Sorghvliedt bevindt zich in een park met vijver en (deels bewaarde) rechthoekige omgrachting. Het kasteel en de aanhorigheden klimmen op tot het tweede kwart van de 18de eeuw.

Historiek
Tijdens de 16de eeuw bevond zich op deze locatie een hoeve, 'Winckeleynde' genaamd, en een aanvankelijk klein 'hof van plaisantie'. Het goed was van 1660 tot 1815 in het bezit van de familie du Bois, die tussen 1745 en 1750 het huidige rococokasteel liet optrekken op de 16de-eeuwse grondvesten en kelders naar ontwerp van Jan Peter Van Baurscheit de Jonge, die ook verantwoordelijk was voor de tuininrichting in de jaren 1752-1753. Begin 19de eeuw werd de belvedère opgericht.

De kabinetskaart van de Ferraris (1770-1778) geeft het kasteel weer ten zuiden van Hoboken en omgeven door een rechthoekige omgrachting. Het is bereikbaar vanuit het westen en het zuiden via een dreef. Buiten de omgrachting bevinden zich enkele bijgebouwen. Aan weerszijden van de omgrachting, ten oosten en ten westen, wordt een moestuin afgebeeld. Ten zuiden ervan ligt een park. Dreven aan de oost- en westzijde omgeven het geheel. De kaart van Vandermaelen (1846-1854) stelt het Château de Zorg Vliet” voor met een grotere rechthoekige omgrachting en een langgerekte vijver ten zuiden van het kasteel. Deze gracht is niet volledig gesloten: aan de oost- en noordkant is een deel van het domein niet omgracht.

In 1937 kocht de gemeente Hoboken het kasteel en het park aan. In 1937-1940 werd het kasteel ingericht als gemeentehuis. Het park werd later publiek toegankelijk gemaakt en het kasteel werd omgevormd tot districtshuis. Bij de restauratie van 1972-1973 verdween de oorspronkelijke bepleistering van het hoofdgebouw. In het park werden de vroegere moestuin en boomgaard vervangen door sportvelden, de twee fonteinen zijn afkomstig van Expo '58.

https://inventaris.onroerenderfgoed.be/erfgoedobjecten/11463

Kasteel Broydenborg

Sorghvliedt Castle (Dutch: Kasteel Sorghvliedt) is a building in Belgium with a history dating back to the 16th century. It was originally a farm building called Wickeleynde owned by the merchant Jean Plaquet and his wife Maria Leydeckers. In 1660, it came into the hands of the du Bois family. From 1745 to 1750 it was completely rebuilt by Arnold du Bois. The Rococo structure was designed by the architect Jan Pieter van Baurscheit the Younger (1699–1768). The castle and the surrounding park were purchased by the town of Hoboken in 1937. It became the town hall in 1940. From 1983, following the extension of Antwerp, the castle became the district hall of Hoboken.

In the park there is an orangerie and a belvedere on an artificial hill.

The castle is open to the public from 9 am to 1 pm on weekdays but is closed on public holidays.

Sorghvliedt Castle


The Sterckshof castle is in Deurne, Antwerp, Belgium. It houses the Sterckshof silver museum of the Province of Antwerp. Built on the site of a much older castle, or great house, the present building is a reconstruction erected in the 1920s.

History

Sterckshof is about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) east of the center of Antwerp. It is situated at an altitude of 3 metres (9.8 ft) above sea level. From as early as the 13th century the site of the castle was occupied by the fortified "Hooftvunder" farmhouse, surrounded by a moat. It was probably used to defend a nearby wooden bridge over the Grote Schijn River.

In 1523 it was described as a farm with a house, brewery, moat, ponds, fishery, etc. That year it purchased by Gerard Sterck, who erected up picturesque buildings with a castle, towers and turrets, and called it Sterckhof, a name it retains today. Gerards grandson was Guillaume de Berghes, bishop of Antwerp. In Sterck's monument in Antwerp cathedral he is described as a knight, and lord of Busquoy, Wyneghem, Casterlé and Hooft-Vundere. Sterck was a merchant, banker and secret adviser of the Emperor Charles V. Another owner, Jacob Edelheer, furnished the castle with art collections and scientific collections.

Unlike other castles in Antwerp, the Sterckshof was not destroyed during the wars of the 16th and 17th centuries, but it was neglected during a dispute between the heirs after the owner, Jacob van Lemens, died childless in 1664. From 1693 Sterckshof was owned by the Jesuits of Lier, but the castle was damaged or allowed to deteriorate during the war of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748). After the dissolution of the Jesuit Order, the estate was sold in 1776 to the banker Jan Baptist Cogels, who merged it with his Ter Rivieren estate. By the 1880s the buildings, long uninhabited, were no more than ruins.

Owned by the province

In 1921 the Province of Antwerp bought the Ter Rivieren estate, with the Sterckshof castle, to make it into the current Rivierenhof park. Of the Sterckshof all that was standing was the floor of a tower, the entrance gate and some ramshackle outbuildings. In 1922 the architect JA Van der Gucht submitted plans for reconstruction. Using old pictures and archaeological discoveries, in the 1930s the building rose as an evocative reconstruction. The reconstructed building with its red brick turrets and courtyards is set in formal gardens surrounded by a moat, conveying an impression of the houses of the wealthy in the 16th century.

The municipality of Deurne declined to use the building for their town hall. In 1926 the idea of using it for the province's technical department was explored but rejected since the building was not suitable. The idea of using it for a dairy was also rejected. Eventually, in 1934 an Association was founded to established a Museum of Flemish Civilization. The Sterckshof was transferred to the association on 21 May 1938 and it was immediately opened to the public. Joseph De Beer, the honorary curator, moved into the house and began acquiring what became a huge and disparate collection of archaeological, natural history, ethnology and art and crafts objects.

From 1951 the state began funding the museum. When De Beer died in February 1953 the original association was liquidated and the castle was taken over by the Province of Antwerp. At first it housed the Province's Sterckshof Museum of Art Crafts, and later the Province's Sterckshof silver museum. The museum's displays covered techniques for working the metal and domestic and religious uses. It also included a silversmith's workshop. The museum exhibited Belgian silver and pewter wares from the 16th to 21st centuries, and also some fine antique furnishings. The museum was unable to expand on the site due to planning restrictions,[8] so was closed in 2014 and merged with the Antwerp Diamond Museum to create the DIVA Museum for Diamonds, Jewellery and Silver, located in Antwerp city centre.

After the silver museum moved out, the province put the castle on the market, with an asking price of 4.5 million euros; in 2017 the Flemish government approved 2 million euros in renovation subsidies to sweeten the offer. As of August 2019 a buyer had still not been found.

Sterckshof

Het Steen is a medieval fortress in the old city centre of Antwerp, Belgium, one of Europe's biggest ports. Built after the Viking incursions in the early Middle Ages as the first stone fortress of Antwerp, Het Steen is Antwerp's oldest building and used to be its oldest urban centre.

Previously known as Antwerpen Burcht (fortress), Het Steen gained its current name in around 1520, after significant rebuilding under Charles V. The rebuilding led to its being known first as "'s Heeren Steen" (the King's stone castle), and later simply as "Het Steen" (the stone castle). The Dutch word "steen" means "stone", and used to be used for "fortress" or "palace", as in the "Gravensteen" in Ghent, Belgium.

The fortress made it possible to control the access to the Scheldt, the river on whose bank it stands. It was used as a prison between 1303 and 1827. The largest part of the fortress, including dozens of historic houses and the oldest church of the city, was demolished in the 19th century when the quays were straightened to stop the silting up of the Scheldt. The remaining building, heavily changed, contains a shipping museum, with some old canal barges displayed on the quay outside.

In 1890 Het Steen became the museum of archeology and in 1952 an annex was added to house the museum of Antwerp maritime history, which in 2011 moved to the nearby Museum Aan de Stroom. Here is also a war memorial to the Canadian soldiers in World War II.

At the entrance to Het Steen is a bas-relief of Semini, above the archway, around 2nd century. Semini is the Scandinavian God of youth and fertility (with symbolic phallus). A historical plaque near Het Steen explains that women of the town appealed to Semini when they desired children; the god was reviled by later religious clergy. Inhabitants of Antwerp previously referred to themselves as "children of Semini". An organization concerned with the historic preservation of Het Steen and Semini, Antwerp Komitee Semini in Ere (AKSIE), formed in 1986, holds annual celebrations at Het Steen as cultural events.

At the entrance bridge to the castle is a statue of a giant and two humans. It depicts the giant Lange Wapper who used to terrorise the inhabitants of the city in medieval times.