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 The motte had meanwhile been replaced by a castle with a moat and four towers, probably from the 14th century.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.