Name: Moated Castle Prinsenhof
Rating: 2

Routes

Route planner

Features

Product updates

Get the App

Discover

Places to see

Castles

Belgium

Flanders

South Limburg

Moated Castle Prinsenhof

Discover

Places to see

Castles

Belgium

Flanders

South Limburg

Moated Castle Prinsenhof

Recommended by 12 hikers

Save

Location: South Limburg, Flanders, Belgium

Save

See hikes here

Take Me There

Routes here

Best Hikes to Moated Castle Prinsenhof

4.6

(10)

hikers

1. View of Herkenrode Abbey – Herkenrode Abbey Site loop from Kuringen

9.44km

02:24

20m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Intermediate

5.0

(4)

hikers

2. Kuringen Church – Moated Castle Prinsenhof loop from Kuringen

2.86km

00:44

10m

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

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Easy

4.2

(5)

hikers

3. Herkenrode Abbey Site – View of Herkenrode Abbey loop from Stokrooie

17.3km

04:22

30m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Intermediate

Tips

August 6, 2024

The oldest occupation phase of the Prinsenhof location dates back to the thirteenth century, when a circular earthen living platform was built on a layer of wood, surrounded by an earthen ring wall. The underlying support bed of branches probably served to somewhat stabilize the very boggy subsoil. The earthen ring wall around the motte plateau was at least 2m high and 7.5m wide at the base and had a diameter of 25 to 30m. The outer foot of the wall was supported by heavy, pointed oak poles. On the west side, some poles may have been part of an access bridge. Perhaps it was completely surrounded by a moat. Typologically, this motte can be interpreted as a 13th-century castral motte, a primarily symbolic expression of power. The motte was probably raised by the counts of Loon. Around the end of the 13th century (based on pottery finds), the residential plateau was considerably expanded and the earth wall appears to have been replaced by a rectangular or square wall made of irregular blocks of limonite or swamp iron ore. The space within this wall was filled with new sand packs and leveled to create a living space that was twice as large. At about the same time (dating based on pottery finds), a square stone structure was constructed in the west, opposite the church and on the edge of the moat. This expansion and renovations are undoubtedly related to the move of the counts of Loon to Kuringen after the destruction of their castle in Borgloon (situated before 1232). In 1240, Arnold van Loon gave the freedom charter to the inhabitants of Kuringen. During the 14th century (dating based on pottery finds), the complex was converted into a rectangular or stone moated castle with a round or horseshoe-shaped tower on each corner. The heavy walls were constructed from limonite blocks and were up to 1.5m thick. A rectangular wing within the western castle wall probably dates from the same period. This castle can also be attributed to the Counts of Loon, who stayed in Kuringen until 1366.

Immovable Heritage Inventory: Prinsenhof Kuringen, id.erfgoed.net/waarnemingen/981127

Translated by Google •

August 6, 2024

After the stay of the Counts of Loon in Kuringen, the castle fell into the hands of the Prince Bishops of Liège. The domain became an estate where the prince bishops rarely stayed, which encouraged neglect. Around 1515, Prince Bishop Erard van der Marck had large-scale changes carried out so that the estate acquired the appearance of a luxurious Renaissance castle. Archaeologically, this phase is distinguished by a number of new foundations, all made of brick. For example, the old corner towers were replaced by brick towers and a new entrance with a drawbridge was created in the southern wall. The considerable amount of post-medieval material in the moat and cellar fillings shows that the castle was still inhabited in the 17th and 18th centuries, perhaps by garrison soldiers, before it was used as a 'stone quarry' from 1741 to restore the ban mills and locks of Hasselt. After the domain was sold after the French Revolution, it came into the private ownership of, among others, the Bamps family (second half of the 19th century) who built a neo-Renaissance castle on top of the ruins with the incorporation of one of the earlier towers. Nowadays the complex is owned by the City of Hasselt.

Immovable Heritage Inventory: Prinsenhof Kuringen, id.erfgoed.net/waarnemingen/981127

Translated by Google •

An 🇧🇪

July 11, 2023

It is certain that a motte stood on this site as early as the 13th century. The Counts of Loon, who regularly had quarrels with their feudal lord, the Prince-Bishop of Liège, opted for a more centrally located residence and often stayed here. The motte had meanwhile been replaced by a castle with a moat and four towers, probably from the 14th century. Gerard van Loon was the first Count van Loon to move to the Prinsenhof. It was besieged and destroyed a number of times in the 15th century and lost importance when the county of Loon was added to the prince-bishopric. It was Prince-Bishop Everhard van der Marck who gave the castle a new splendor in the early 16th century and converted it into a residence with status (layout of a park with statues and fountains). Emperor Charles V paid a visit there twice. In the 17th century, French soldiers destroyed the towers of the castle. The building was never repaired and fell into ruins. In 1798 the domain was seized and sold publicly. Antoon Bamps bought it in the early 19th century and converted part of the ruin into a summer house. A son-in-law turned it into a mansion in the early 20th century. In 1914 Tony Hermant-de Keuster inherited the building. In 1930, the Hasselt textile manufacturer Louis Gérard bought the Prinsenhof. He renews the surrounding pond, has 2 tennis courts built, and renovates the castle. Several painters such as Paul Hermans and Charles Wellens are welcome guests. On 01.01.1951 the domain is sold to Governor Hubert Verwilghen. The city of Hasselt bought the domain in 1984 and housed municipal services in it.

Translated by Google •

In the know? Log-in to add a tip for other adventurers!

Details

Informations

Elevation 80 m

Weather

Today

Friday 19 September

27°C

18°C

0 %

If you start your activity now...

Max wind speed: 7.0 km/h

Most visited during

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

See hikes here

Take Me There

Location: South Limburg, Flanders, Belgium

Moated Castle Prinsenhof

1. View of Herkenrode Abbey – Herkenrode Abbey Site loop from Kuringen

2. Kuringen Church – Moated Castle Prinsenhof loop from Kuringen

3. Herkenrode Abbey Site – View of Herkenrode Abbey loop from Stokrooie

Other Popular Places to Check Out

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️