アールツェラールの洞窟・トップ20

Wissekerke Castle...

Great start and end point for a drink or cake.

Located directly on the Schlede and centrally in Antwerp, I didn't expect to see this magnificent castle there. The castle looks like one of the medieval castles from the earlier knight films. I found it very fascinating. The castle is also Antwerp's oldest building. Of course, it can also be visited.

Right nearby is this entertaining hedge maze.

Wissekerke Castle in Basel was originally a real moated castle, the first mentions of which date back to the tenth century. Later, the noble Vilain XIIII family converted the castle into a real neo-Gothic castle, with a gatehouse in neo-Tudor style. The interiors have largely been preserved. The Egyptian room and the salon in Empire style particularly appeal to the imagination. Anyone who takes a look just outside the castle grounds will be impressed by the 600-meter-long castle avenue with monumental beech trees dozens of meters high. A beautiful place to walk, cycle or just take a rest and enjoy the rustling leaves. (Castles of the Scheldt)

Tourist information and museum in old walls

Sterckshof... is no longer a museum! (But the DIVA even more so) Gerard Sterck was apparently not happy with a silver museum in 'his' castle. Well, his words turned out to be prophetic. The history of the Sterckshof began in the 13th century when the castle consisted of a farm surrounded by a moat. After several centuries of ownership changes, renovations and destruction, this castle, or what remained of it, came into the hands of the Province of Antwerp. They rebuilt it in the 1930s in neo-Renaissance style. First, the Sterckshof was a museum for arts and crafts, until Jonkheer Pierre Lunden donated no fewer than 96 pieces of silver to the museum in 1976. This donation of works of art from the 16th century to the present day formed the basis of the extensive silver collection exhibited here. Since May 2018, this collection, together with the diamond collection, can be admired in the DIVA The Sterckshof currently houses artists' studios and the cozy Bar Stark. Source: https://www.schattenvandeurne.be/sterckshof

The domain and buildings were constructed as a country retreat in the 16th century. From 1618 to 1773 it was owned by the Jesuit fathers. In 1776 the domain came into the possession of a wealthy Antwerp banker Jan Baptist Cogels and the old castle was demolished. He then built a new Hof van Plaisantie. For the norm in the 18th century, what we see today was a modern castle. Now you can enjoy the grandeur of a bygone era here.