フランダースブラバントの天然記念物・トップ20

近くには、非常に健康的な水が汲める泉があります。

このツアーは森の中を何キロにもわたって続きます。春にはヒヤシンスとキツネノボタンが咲き、美しいです。夏は涼しくて快適です。

Very colorful in autumn...

A change of scenery guaranteed...but also a sad observation...global warming is causing terrible damage to certain species of trees...visit this arboretum quickly before many trees die 😩😩😩

One of my favorite places in the area.

The core of Horst Castle probably dates back to the 13th century and is characterised by a square keep. The keep probably belonged to the oldest core that was further expanded into a fortified castle in the 15th century. During the troubles under Maximilian of Austria in 1489, the castle of Horst was taken by the people of Leuven and set on fire. According to literary sources, only the keep, part of the entrance gate and a defensive wall remained standing. The residential and east wing were renovated and expanded in the 16th century. The round tower also dates from this period. The outer wall was provided with a rectangular bay window. The castle lost its military character and became more of a pleasant residential area with a view of the moat, the ponds and the inner courtyard. Brick construction with sandstone layers characterise these buildings. In 1587, however, the castle was set on fire again during the raids of the Geuzen. It was not until the beginning of the 17th century that restoration work began. It is difficult to deduce from the available sources to what extent this involved restoration or an embellishing conversion of the castle complex. Presumably nothing changed in the internal structure, but only after the structurally necessary repairs were the interiors completely refinished. Maria-Anna Van den Tympel had a new chapel built against the keep in the 17th century. At the beginning of the 19th century, the complex must have been damaged by plundering and neglect, and it is possible that it also suffered from plundering during the Brabant Revolution of 1830. Around 1850, the castle must have been habitable again, but the castle buildings only served as a farm. In the land registry, the site around the castle is called "De Notelaren Boomgaerd". Around that time, the most dilapidated part must have been demolished, namely the southern part and the superstructure of the gate. The rest of the complex was probably restored with reused demolition material and in traditional style. The castle was divided in 1880, with one part being registered as a school house. In 1897, a further division followed, with two plots being designated as houses. Several restoration campaigns followed in the 20th century. Inventory of Immovable Heritage: Horst Castle, https://id.erfgoed.net/erfgoedobjecten/43619

Since December, there has been a spire on the castle again after the unstable spire was removed more than four years ago and could be viewed on a wooden platform in the pond. Now it is back. And the other works are also progressing quickly. More about the replaced spire on https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2024/12/10/torenspits-staat-weer-op-kasteel-van-horst-holsbeek/

Nice location because you can imagine yourself in different parts of the world by the large number of exotic trees that were planted here sorted by their habitat. This allows you to walk from the West Coast of America to China through the different forests that were planted to imitate nature there as closely as possible.