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Belgium

Flanders

Flemish Brabant

Halle-Vilvoorde

Zemst

Het Steen or the Rubens Castle

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Places to see

Castles

Belgium

Flanders

Flemish Brabant

Halle-Vilvoorde

Zemst

Het Steen or the Rubens Castle

Recommended by 120 hikers out of 122

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Location: Zemst, Halle-Vilvoorde, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium

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Best Hikes to Het Steen or the Rubens Castle

4.3

(12)

105

hikers

1. View of the church – Het Steen or the Rubens Castle loop from Elewijt

6.29km

01:35

10m

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Easy

4.2

(5)

hikers

2. Het Steen or the Rubens Castle – Rest bench loop from Weerde

7.66km

01:56

10m

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Easy

4.3

(6)

hikers

3. Sint-Clemens Church Eppegem – Het Steen or the Rubens Castle loop from Eppegem

6.56km

01:40

10m

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Tips

Pauline van der Waal

June 7, 2025

Once a sturdy motte castle from the 11th century, Het Steen grew into a beautiful Renaissance castle that played a key role in the defense of Brabant against the Mechelaars for centuries. The castle is picturesquely situated in a meander of the Barebeek, surrounded by old moats and close to the Zenne, and breathes history - from knightly battles to Spanish garrisons. The most famous resident was Peter Paul Rubens, who spent his last summers here, painted, partied with artist friends such as Van Dyck and Teniers, and immortalized the surrounding nature on canvas.

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Willem VS

September 6, 2020

Het Steen is a castle in the Belgian town of Elewijt and is often also called The Castle of Elewijt or The Rubens Castle. It was protected as a monument in 1948.

Het Steen originated in the 11th century from a motte-and-bailey castle, a large wooden building with a watchtower on an artificial hill. It was built to protect the city of Vilvoorde and the Duchy of Brabant against the attacks of the Mechelen, because there were few or no natural obstacles. Around the year 1300 a stone fortress arose in its place. In the mid-14th century, the Count of Flanders, Lodewijk van Male, tried to take Brabant from his sister-in-law Johanna and Mechelen chose to join the Flemings, against the Brabanters. The then lord of Elewijt, Gijzelbrecht Taye, did not hesitate for a moment to equip his castle with 28 armours. In the 16th century there was a Spanish garrison at the castle at the time of Alexander Farnese.

After the long period of wars and religious unrest, Het Steen became a peaceful place to stay. The Lord of Korbeek, Jan Cools, was the owner from 1619. However, he was in deep debt and was forced to sell the dilapidated castle in 1631. Peter Paul Rubens bought it then for the nice sum of 93,000 carolus guilders; he had it thoroughly renovated and lived there from 1635 until his death in 1640. Many of his famous paintings are landscapes from Elewijt, the most famous of which is an Autumn Landscape with a view of the Steen. In 1792 the castle was converted into a state prison. The castle has been in the possession of Tourism Flanders since July 2019.

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Els

February 6, 2021

The painter Pieter Paul Rubens bought this Renaissance castle in 1635. He spent the last 5 summers of his life there with Helena Fourmet, his 38th younger second wife. He painted some important works there and gave great parties in the company of other famous figures, such as Van Dyck, Jordaens, Teniers, and many noblemen. The castle was already mentioned in the 13th century. The implantation of this moated domain in a meander of the Baerbeek, near the Senne and halfway between Brussels and Mechelen, would indicate a very old site, part of the defense line of Brabant. The name 'Stone' would refer to a square 'stone' tower mentioned until the early 18th century.

source: hiking guide Flanders route GR 128

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Location: Zemst, Halle-Vilvoorde, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium

Het Steen or the Rubens Castle

1. View of the church – Het Steen or the Rubens Castle loop from Elewijt

2. Het Steen or the Rubens Castle – Rest bench loop from Weerde

3. Sint-Clemens Church Eppegem – Het Steen or the Rubens Castle loop from Eppegem

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