Colloquially known as the Maeres Castle, also called Kasteel Maere d'Aertrycke, it was built between 1868 and 1871 in the Neo-Renaissance (French) style. August Maere, the visionary behind the port of Zeebrugge, was later ennobled and was allowed to add the name d'Aertrycke to his surname. The domain remained in the hands of the family for a long time, but from 1960 part of it became the property of the province of West Flanders. Since 2012, the entire domain has been provincial property and the castle has been transformed into a hotel, restaurant and conference center.