Castle of Betho

Located just outside the city, in the middle of a beautifully preserved landscape. Impressive, partially moated castle with farm, symmetrically laid out: castle and farm are built around two connecting courtyards, the castle to the southeast, the farm to the northwest. The castle has a tower on each corner. Access to each section is at both ends of the central southwest-northeast axis. First mentioned in 1267 as Betue. It was a Liège fief, successively owned by the families Betho, Huwenial (1417), Betho (1442), Oyembrugge (1524), Krafft (1598), de Simonis (mid-17th century), de Hinnisdael (1691), van der Gracht (1728), the Hinnisdael (1748), the Copis (1828).

In 1412 the castle is mentioned as "une maison et cour", in 1478 a tower is added, probably the current southern corner tower, almost entirely made of marl stone, the only remainder of this original building. The other buildings and the barn of the farm date from a subsequent building campaign (mid-17th century). The southeast wing of the castle and the farm date from the second half of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century. These parts are probably the result of the building activities of Pierre de Simonis (+ 1691) and his heir François de Hinnisdael (1691-1720).

The castle groups its buildings around a courtyard (not open to visitors). Brick buildings, anchored by means of wrought iron wall anchors with curls, under hipped roofs (slate); the corner towers have tent roofs, the south tower has a bell-shaped roof, each crowned with a roof turret. The mid-17th century buildings are brick and marlstone constructions, equipped with bands, corner blocks, profiled cornice on ojief-shaped consoles and rectangular windows in a marlstone frame with nave blocks and cockscomb.

Source: inventaris.onroerenderfgoed.be/erfgoedobjecten/37305

The imposing 17th-century castle of Betho in Maasland style was originally a moated castle. It forms a closed structure girded with 4 corner towers and is built around two inner courtyards. The residential buildings are located around one courtyard and the castle farm around the other. The current pond is a remnant of the castle moat that once surrounded the building. The castle is not open to the public
Source: hiking guide - Flanders Route GR 128

The first known inhabitant of the castle was Arnold van Betu in the 13th century, over the centuries the castle was owned by various noble families such as the Betho, Huwenial, Oyembrugge, Krafft, de Simonis, van Hinnisdael, van der Gracht and the Copis.